Safe With Me
by Radiorox
Summary: After an attack, Mac goes to the only person she feels safe with - Harm. Can they find out who it was before it is too late? - COMPLETED - This is an old story from my personal archives. Ye be warned. ;)
1. Chapter 1

Title: Safe With Me

Author: Jackie

Summary: After an attack, Mac goes to the only person she feels safe with, Harm. Can they find out who it was before it is too late?

Rating: R and NC-17

Disclaimer: Having gone through all of the papers in an ammo box I have under my desk; I have once again come to the conclusion that JAG is not mine and will never be mine.

Mesh does not belong to me either. Although, I do have two very cool mesh shirts.

"Whatever happens to you, you're safe with me. Whatever hurting you'll do, it won't hurt me. Whatever choices you've made to seal your fate; you've made the much too late." – Mesh "Safe with me."

PART 1

2002 Local

Washington D.C.

Sarah MacKenzie's heels clicked and echoed through the parking lot of the shopping plaza. It was nearly empty for a Thursday night. Due to maintenance of the JAG offices, Mac was planning on taking advantage that she didn't have to be back in the office until Tuesday. She was happy, and for the most ridiculous of reasons. Mac had finally broken it off with Clayton Webb. Normally, when a girl breaks up with their boyfriend, they're supposed to feel some sort of loss or remorse, she felt neither. She thought about how free she felt and marveled in a feeling that she was finally in control of her life. True, she still had this pang in her chest and an ache in her heart over the man she truly loved. But, that would work out. She knew it would because this time, she was going to fight for him. This time, she would tell him exactly what he meant to her and pray he felt the same in return. Taking in a deep breath, she inhaled the air heavy in the scent of atmosphere. It was going to rain and according to superstition, that was a good sign.

Reaching her Corvette, Mac got in and slipped the key in the ignition, expecting the engine to roar to life. When it didn't, she tried again. Popping the hood, Mac got out of the car and walked around to the front. She lifted the hood and took out the dipstick, making sure there was enough oil in the engine. Taking a gander at the battery and the water level, she found nothing wrong with the car. Shrugging, she took out her cell phone. She was in way too good of a mood to let this bring her down. She would simply call AAA and have them tow it to her house. She figured that when Tuesday rolled around, she'd bum a ride to work from Harm.

She shut the hood and sat back in her car, pulling out her cell phone from her purse. When she looked at it, she found no signal. "Damnit." She said, realizing that the covered garage was probably the culprit. Sighing, and now irritated by the notion that she would not be getting home any time soon, she got out of the car, grabbed her cover and started making her way back to the department stores.

Mac got nearly half way there when, from the shadows, a man with a trench coat stood in her path. His head was down low making the baseball cap he was wearing shadow his eyes. Pretending that it didn't bother her, Mac moved to the left and was going to try and move around him when the man mirrored her moves. She slid her car keys between her middle and ring fingers, a weapon in case she needed it. Trying to get passed the man, she went right only to be blocked yet again. "Get out of my way." She yelled in a hard drill instructor tone. The moment she said it, she wish she hadn't. The man took a baseball bat out from his coat and rushed forward.

Running as best she could on heels, Mac made it to her Corvette and slipped inside, inconveniently forgetting that it would not start. The moment she slipped the key into the ignition, she heard the thud against the top of her car. Looking up, she saw the fabric tear and a hand trying to reach in and grab her. Moving over the gear shift, she opened the passenger door and ran out just as her drivers side window was smashed into a zillion pieces. She ran harder than she ever had in her life, but he still caught up with her.

Her body landed in a heap on the ground. The man had jumped at her, brought her down with him. He turned her over, trying to straddle her body and brought the baseball bat up high over his head. Before he had the chance to bring it down, Mac kneed him hard in the groin and slipped out from under him. She kicked him in the rib cage before running barefoot out of the parking lot and into the streets.


	2. Chapter 2

PART 2

2123 Local

Harm's Apartment

North of Union Station

"Harm, are you sure they are not going to burn?" Mattie asked, peaking in the oven for the third time in five minutes. As he promised, Harm was trying to help her out with cooking and started with something simple, brownies.

Harm chuckled and looked up from the law book he was reading. "Well, if you keep opening the oven, it's never going to be done. . ."

Sighing dramatically, she moved away from the oven and came around the kitchen island. "Shouldn't you be on a date or something? I mean you're a good looking guy." At his raised eyebrows, Mattie stopped in mid thought and got the hint. "Sorry. . .Maybe you should ask Mac out."

Harm shook his head. "I told you, she has a boyfriend."

"One who is never in town according to you." She pointed out and sat on a stool next to his. "Did ya ever stop and think that maybe she wants you to ask her out?"

He closed the law book with a loud thud and sat there, staring off at nothing in particular. "To answer your question, yes. . . but she probably has plans." Since he'd returned to JAG, Harm had tried, on several occasions to invite Mac over to his place for dinner. Most of the attempts had failed. Though, lately, she had been dropping by much more frequently out of her own free will. 'Maybe that's a sign.' He thought, scratching his head.

Grinning, Mattie nudged him. "You know, she has been stopping by more often these days." At the knowing look in his eyes, she giggled away. "You have it bad for her don't you?"

"I am not discussing this with you." He said with a smirk and jumped off the barstool just as he heard a knock on the door. Harm didn't even bother to check the peephole, figuring Jen was dropping by to see what they were doing. He was surprised find Mac on the other side. Looking her up and down, he felt the bile rise up in his throat. "Mac?"

Mac was dripping wet, her uniform was filthy and she had torn nylons with scratch marks on her legs, she was barefoot. "I-I I shouldn't have come."

"No, no. . . come in." He moved back and immediately gestured for Mattie to bring a towel. "What happened?"

Mac looked around nervously, her body shaking uncontrollably. "Someone tried to attack me." She took the towel that Mattie offered. "Thanks."

"What?" He said, probably a bit louder than he should of. "How? When? . . . Did they follow you here?" Harm wrapped the towel around her, running his hands up and down her sides, trying to get her warm.

Mac shook her head. "I ran most of the way here, took a lot of turns and made sure they didn't follow . . Damnit I am a Marine I shouldn't be all. .. JUMPY!"

Harm pulled her over to the sofa and sat her down. "Well after what happened lately, it's only natural."

Mac nodded and brought her legs up to the sofa, curling herself into a ball. "I. .I can't go through this again. . .I am barely over the thing with Sadik ." She said, her eyes meeting his. "I am afraid that I'll . . . lose it again, like I did after Dalton…I." She swallowed hard and managed to hold on to whatever dignity she had left. She wouldn't cry, damnit. She wouldn't. "What if this leads me to the bottle again?"

Harm shook his head fiercely. "I won't let you."

Sighing, she moved to the edge of the sofa and put her head in her hands. "Damnit why didn't I just go home right after work?"

"Mattie, could you please put the kettle on and grab some sweats from my bottom drawer and put them on the bed?" She nodded and made off to the kitchen and then to his room to get the things he requested. "Go to my bathroom and change into my sweats. Tea will be done when you come out."

Mac nodded and with the towel still wrapped around her, she disappeared towards his bedroom.

Harm walked over to Mattie who was quietly sitting on the barstools. "Do you think someone . . did something to her?" Mattie said, making Harm gulp at the implication. "I mean, you don't think. . ."

"No… I mean, no." Harm said firmly and waited impatiently for Mac to return. When she did, he had tea set up for the three of them and Mattie was tending to the brownies. Mac propped herself on one of the barstools and took a cup of tea as Harm returned from his bedroom with a first aid kit. He started treating the scratches on her legs and feet before looking up at her with a horrified expression. That expression turned to anger of what he thought the person had done to Mac. "What happened?"

Sighing, she took a sip of her tea and closed her eyes, trying to settle her nerves. "Not what you think, I promise." Raising her eyes, she saw him relax visibly and let out a deep breath. "I went shopping and when I was leaving the stores, my car wouldn't start, the damn cell phone wouldn't get a signal so I was going to go back to the shops to call AAA and have them pick up my car. . . When I stared walking back to the shops some guy came out of nowhere. . . I tried moving around him and keeping my distance, but he wouldn't let me. . . He took out a base ball bat and came after me. . .So I ran and got into my car."

She paused a moment and looked up at the police detective sitting across from her. She didn't want to head to the station, but Harm suggested it and he was right. They needed the police to head back to the scene and see if they could find any evidence of who tried to attack Mac. There was something eerily familiar about the situation and when Harm put his hand on her shoulder, it all came back to her - Dalton's murder. Only this time, the detective sitting across from her wasn't Coster but a female named Liz VanEdee.

Harm squeezed her shoulder lightly and urged Mac to continue. "The baseball bat slammed into the top and it ripped open. I remembered that the car wasn't turning over so I tried running out the passenger side door. He smashed the driver side window and then he caught up with me. . ." She took a deep breath as the feelings of what she thought was going to happen made her shiver. " . . . He flipped me over and raised the bat but he hesitated for a moment and I kneed him, kicked him and ran off."

Liz wrote everything down and then looked back up at Mac. "Is there anything that you remember about the assailant?"

Mac nodded. "When he raised the bat, his sleeve lowered and there was a tattoo of a scorpion on his arm. . . I can't remember exact details of his face. . . just that his hair was dark and stuck out from under the baseball cap and a Band-Aid on his chin." Try as she may, Mac just could not remember anything else about the man. His face she could not fully bring up and she didn't know why.

The detective sighed and pointed at the huge Ziploc bag that Mac's uniform was placed in. "We'll run these for prints and fibers. As soon as we're done, we can give it back to you if you like."

Mac shook her head. "Burn it." Her voice was strong but Harm could hear the catch. He knew she was terrified.

Liz's partner Peter Kain made his way back into the interrogation room and threw Mac's purse on the table. "Ms. MacKenzie, Do you remember what happened to your keys?"

Mac shook her head. "I think I dropped them at the scene."

Peter looked down at Liz who just shook her head. "Then I suggest that you not go home tonight. . .We believe he took your ID. . . which means he knows where you live. . . And may have the keys to enter your home."

"She'll be staying with me." Harm said, handing over a business card to Peter. "If something comes up you can call us there."

Peter eyed him for a moment. "And you are?"

"Commander Harmon Rabb, her partner. . . we're lawyers for the Navy's Judge Advocate General."

"I assume you have an alibi, Mr. Rabb?" Peter said, moving his arms across his chest.

Rolling her eyes, Mac looked up at Harm. "Detective, it wasn't Harm, I can bet my life on that."

Peter just shrugged and slipped the card in his breast pocket. "Liz, finish up here, I am going to see if forensics can get on this before dawn." At her nod, he gave her shoulder a squeeze and headed out.

Liz sighed. "Don't mind my partner. . . We've had similar cases and have yet to grab the guy."

Mac's eyes fluttered for a moment as she looked up at Liz. "Similar cases?"

"Man with a trench coat and baseball bat." Taking pictures out from a folder, she slid them towards Harm and Mac. "I normally don't show these to victims, but I know JAG investigates things." The gruesome images of women battered to a bloody pulp stared back at Mac, who had to turn away for a moment. Harm looked at each and then slid the pictures back to Liz. "He beats and then sexually assaults women. . . The press has started calling him the Slugger because of the baseball bat he uses." Putting the files back in the folder she nodded. "You were lucky."

Mac sighed. "I wish I could be more help. . ." She thought out loud, the images of the pictures engraved in her mind.

"Thank you for coming in Ms. MacKenzie. We'll keep in touch." Liz said, taking Mac hand and then Harm's.

After they left, Peter came back to Liz. "We need to catch this creep. . ."

"We will." Liz assured. "We will."


	3. Chapter 3

PART 3

2340 Local

Harm's Apartment

North of Union Station

Sitting on Harm's sofa Mac yawned loudly and stretched out. She was sipping some freshly made tea and Harm was in the shower. Once he got out, he dressed in his flannel pants and white t-shirt and headed back out to where Mac was. "Do you want to go pick some of your stuff up tonight or?" He watched her for a moment, but didn't receive an answer. Instead, Mac just stared off, looking at a spot on the wall. She finally snapped to life when he ran his hands in front of her. "Hey? Do you want to go pick some stuff up tonight?"

"Harm it's almost midnight." She began. "What's the hurry to get me settled?"

Harm shrugged. "Chivalry is not dead within these walls."

"I am not a damsel in distress." Mac sighed deeply. "I. . I really don't know why I am here." Coming to her feet, she glanced towards the door. The thought of leaving had passed fleetingly through her mind several times, but she knew there was no where else to go. Her home was off limits for the moment. That thought alone angered her immensely. Someone, a man too cowardly to show his face, had taken a piece of her life.

"Because you feel safe with me." He said, knowing it was true. They had protected each other in so many occasions.

Mac nodded. "I guess I do."

"Stay here as long as you want, Mac. . . I want to know that you are safe." Taking her hand, he sat her back down on the sofa and tossed and afghan over her.

Mac just looked at him for a moment. What had happened to him in the past year? The arrogant, sometimes jerk-ish aviator that she knew was still there, but there was something more. He'd turned kinder, noticed more things that he used to. And from the look in his eyes she saw caring? Love? "After everything, why are you helping me?"

"Because, I care for you. . . no matter how bad it got this year. . . You are my friend." Oh, but it was much more than that. She didn't know that he had this deep desire to make her his lover. She didn't know that he spent a little too much time contemplating the "what ifs" of them being a couple. Nor did she know that he had thought, in more than one occasion, about her being his wife.

Mac shook her head and rolled her eyes. "You just have a hero complex."

"I know but," Harm began, grinning when her eyes widened. "I want to take care of you. . .I need to keep you safe."

Mac shook her head again and took a deep breath. Standing, she walked behind his sofa and to the window. "I am a Marine, Harm. . . during the ordeal with Coster I stayed by myself. . . even when I knew Sadik was out there. . ."

Harm remained seated on the sofa and sighed. If he was stubborn, Mac could sometimes beat him with her hands tied behind her back. "Mac. . . I know you are a strong woman. . . You are one of the strongest women I've known. Yes, you are also a kick ass jarhead, a fine officer and an excellent lawyer. . . Nevertheless, you are human and one of the things the service teaches us is that there is safety in numbers."

Mac nodded. He was right, as much as she hated to admit it. More so, she wanted to stay there, but knew that the moment things got too comfortable, they would start arguing, they always did. What happened to all of that bravado that she had earlier in the week when she broke it off with Webb? All evening long, all she could do was think about running to Harm and confessing her secret. He was here now, why couldn't she talk?

Harm watched her for a moment. When she didn't speak again, he stood up, took her hand and led her over to his bedroom. "What are you doing?"

She eyed him cautiously as he changed the linens and put the rest in the laundry.

"Well, I had to do laundry anyway. . . If you don't mind we're sharing a bed. . . I want you to be comfy and to be honest, I can't stand my couch."

Mac nodded. "We can be adult about this."

Harm looked at her as he put on new pillow covers. "We have been before." Maybe a little too adult, Harm recalled the last time they laid in a bed together and the kiss that certainly would have happened had a certain spook not walked in. When he was done, he tossed one of the pillows on the bed and began working on the other. "Grab any of my clothes that you find comfortable to sleep in."

"I am fine in these." She said, tugging at the sweats that he had loaned her. They were extremely big on her, still, she looked cute wearing his things, he noted. She simply slid into bed and yawned. Soon after, Harm joined her as well and shut off the lamp.

"Victim" She said out loud in the dark and took a deep breath. When she felt his eyes on her, she continued. "Detective VanEdee called me a victim. . . though I think she was referring to the girls that were murdered." She tried to keep her verbalized thoughts steady and strong, but her voice betrayed her. "She still thinks of me as a victim and I am not damnit."

Harm propped himself up on his elbow and stared at her through the darkness. "No you're not. . . You are a Marine, bad ass, tough as nails, squared away. . ."

"Don't. . ." She began, irritated by the times he'd made fun of the branch of service she belonged to. Sure, they ribbed at each other about squids and jarheads, but it pissed her off when he took pure pleasure in jabbing her with crap about the Corps. Had it not been for the Marines and her Uncle Matt, it was certain that Sarah MacKenzie would have been six feet under by now. "Don't start talking shit about what I am. . . If it weren't for the Corps, I'd probably be dead by now."

Harm sat up, flicked on the light and turned to her. "Hey. . I wasn't ribbing you Mac." At the look in her eyes, he took a deep breath and continued. "I wasn't. . .I agree with you, okay? If it wasn't because you know how to defend yourself then. . ." Stopping, he looked away for a moment. ". . .I don't want to think of the alternative. . . of what he could have done."

"You think I am strong?" She asked, propping herself up against the wall behind the bed. At Harm's nod, Mac let out a sigh. "Then why do I feel so weak and vulnerable right now? Why do I feel like a victim?"

Harm didn't know what to respond, instead, he moved closer to her and brought her into his arms. He half expected her to back away and prove her strength to him, but she didn't. Instead, she crashed into his arms and held on, letting his warmth soothe away the cold and eerie feeling that was trying to consume her. She looked up and their eyes met. There was always something about Harm that just made her give in. Mac knew that if she ever needed to be vulnerable, he was the one she could count on to not let anything hurt her. "Let's get some rest, huh? . . . Maybe tomorrow the cops will have some clues for us to figure out." At her nod, he hugged her tight and then let her go.

Mac scooted herself a bit closer to Harm and shrugged when he looked at her, questioning her movements. "I can't be strong all the time." She said with a coy look that awarded her a smile.

"C'mere, Mac." Harm said, pulling her so that he could wrap his arms around her body. "Night." He said, before kissing her forehead and shutting the lamp off.


	4. Chapter 4

Literally cringing re-reading this. It's old and before I got into some sort of writing stride. Gonna string a few chapters together because... jeeez. LOL!  
And the chapters are sooo short... Ugh! Bad Radiorox!

PART 4

Friday

0930 Local

Harm's Apartment

North of Union Station.

Harm awoke to an empty bed and the sound of the shower and someone humming. He grinned thinking about how near a naked Mac was to him. "Enjoying your shower, Marine?"

"Yes I am, thank you very much." Mac chuckled, yelling over the water. Through the blocks of glass that made up his shower, Harm could see moving, naked flesh. _Her naked flesh. _Though he could not make out body parts, his mind was filling him in. He imagined her small hands delicately caressing every inch of her skin and wondered what would happen if he walked into the shower with her. His mind drifted to her bringing him closer and sharing in a kiss that would light the heaven's on fire. His mouth would glide down to her neck and lower still, as his hands. . .

"Harm." Mac said, snapping Harm out of a day dream that he shouldn't be having. . . especially not when the object of his fantasies was naked in his shower that was some few feet away.

"Yes." He managed to croak out while he looked down at his pants to find his morning erection saluting him.

"I forgot to grab a towel."

Harm took a deep breath and tried to will his erection to subside. "They are umm . . .in my closet over here."

"That's nice." The laughter in her voice could be heard. "But that would mean I'd have to walk across the room naked to get it."

"Oh!" He said loudly as his bulge became ever harder. Mac naked. . .no… He tried to make his mind stop racing about the possibilities.

"Harm?" Her voice was more impatient this time. "You alright out there?"

Harm nodded as if she could see him and quickly managed to toss the towel over the shower, it landing right on her head.

"Gee, thanks." She said, taking the cloth and wiping herself down.

Harm ran back to bed and brought the sheets over him as he tried to remember all his old school tricks when mini Harm would become overly happy. That is when Mac came out of the shower. Blue towel wrapped tightly around her body. She swung her arm off of the cubed glass and leaned against it. He'd had that fantasy with her coming out of his shower wearing only a towel. Just as they were about to kiss. . .

"Earth to Harm?" Mac said, her arms folded across her chest. "You okay, flyboy?"

Harm nodded stupidly. "Uh huh."

"Where's your hair dryer?"

Harm pointed over to the closet, keeping his eyes on her slim figure as she made it across the room and then back to the bathroom.

As she was about to disappear again, she cocked an eyebrow and looked at him strangely. "You sure you're alright?"

"Uh. . . I ah. . . Uh , yea, yea I am. . . F-f-fine." Harm nodded again. Cold shower, he was definitely going to need one.

About an hour after Harm finally got himself under control, they decided, after an argument that Mac won, to head over to her apartment and pick up some of her things.

"Let me go up first, see if the coast is clear, and then I'll come get you." Harm said, looking up towards the direction of the apartment. He'd given Mac one of his baseball caps and had her tuck her hair into it so that she would appear the least like her self. She was practically lost under his sunglasses. She found it ridiculous, but, for the sake of her belongings, she did as he asked.

Mac sighed loudly and looked out the passenger's side window, muttering to herself. "This is great, I am letting some nut bar run my life."

"Mac, no one is running your life. We're simply taking precautions. Even the detectives told you not to go home. . . Now stay here." He warned and before she had a chance to object, he got out of his SUV and made it into her building. About five minutes later, Harm motioned from the stairs that it was safe for her to join him. "Make it quick." He ordered as they entered her apartment.

Mac gave him a mock salute. "Yes, sir." Disappearing into her room, she started packing things into a duffle bag. Harm stayed in the living room, keeping an eye out the windows.

"I thought you always had a bag packed?" Harm said, walking into the kitchen and grabbing a bottle of water.

Mac rolled her eyes. "Well I do. . .but the police have the 'Vette in the impound. So I am a bit screwed on that." Smirking, she poked her head out of her bedroom. "So, should I leave or bring the lingerie?"

Harm returned her smirk and shrugged. "Entirely up to you."

Once she was done, Mac gave the apartment a once over, sighed and nodded to Harm. "Okay, let's go." As soon as they got to the car, she realized that she forgot something. "My uniform. . . I got everything but my uniform."

Harm looked at the time and then back up to her apartment. "Get in the car and lock it up. . . I'll go get it." At her nod, he raced up the stairs and back into her apartment. Sighing, he walked into her closet, grabbed her uniform and was about to make it out the door when he felt a hand on his shoulder and a sickening feeling at the base of his skull. He couldn't stop his body from hitting the floor. Nor could he stop himself from blacking out.

"Harm? Harm?" He heard her voice but, for some reason, it was hard to get his eyes open. When he finally did, he felt the pounding of his head and saw brown eyes gazing back at him. "What happened?"

Harm shook his head and, with her help, managed to sit up. "Someone hit me. . . on the head." He shook the nauseating feeling away and managed to stand up. "We need to get out of here."

"You need to go to a hospital. You might have a concussion." She said, trying to read his eyes, which he wasn't letting her do. Instead, Harm grabbed her by the hand and yanked her out of the apartment, uniform and all. "Harm!"

He didn't even bother to respond, but instead took her out of the apartment. He looked around before crossing the street and getting her into the SUV. Rather than drive straight home, Harm made a few passes through different blocks hoping that if anyone were following, he would lose them.

When they finally arrived back at Harm's apartment, he crashed on the sofa, holding a bag of ice to his head. "Let me take a look at that." Mac said, removing the pack to find a blood and the gash where it was coming from. "Oh, God. . .you're bleeding. . ."

"I am not going to a hospital, if that is what you are implying." Harm said, wincing when she placed the bag back on his head.

Mac stood up, grabbed his car keys and tried moving Harm from the sofa. "Well, guess what? You have no choice. . ." She placed both her hands on his face and turned his head so that she could look into his yes. ". . .Your eyes . . . Harm." She looked at him and knew she had won.

1015 Local

Mercy Hospital

Emergency Room

Washington, D.C.

Harm sat on one of the emergency room beds and winced when the nurse injected him with the anesthesia. He tried to put a brave face for Mac who was standing there giving him an amused smirk. "Yes, it hurts." Harm said, answering the silent question that people love to ask when someone else is injured.

"At least your eyes are back to normal." She said, placing a hand over his own and squeezing lightly. "When can he go home?" Mac looked over at the doctor who had started sewing the gash on Harm's head.

The doctor stopped for a moment, and took another look at the gash. "Well, he doesn't seem to have a concussion; you can take him home as soon as we're done."

"Good!" Harm exclaimed and looked up at Mac who was rolling her eyes at him. She was being playful, trying to keep the gravity of the situation off of his shoulders. The police had been right and the person who had attacked her did know where she lived. That thought scared the hell out of Mac, but she was trying not to let it show.

"Mr. Rabb?" Looking over, Harm and Mac saw Detectives Peter Kain and Liz VanEdee standing by the nurse. "How are you feeling?" Liz said.

Harm looked between the two detectives and bad to Mac who had removed her hand from his. "Like someone hit me over the head. . . But I'll live."

Peter walked passed the nurse and stood before Harm. "Did you see the person, Mr. Rabb?"

"Call me Harm, and no I didn't."

Liz took a deep breath. "You think it was the same person that attacked Ms. MacKenzie?"

"Probably." Harm said with a smirk. In his mind, he wondered how detectives got anything done. JAG ops was so much better organized. "Luckily nothing happened to Mac."

Liz nodded and looked at Peter who was watching the doctor work on the gash. He cringed when the needle went in an was then pulled out. "Ms. MacKenzie, I am assuming you didn't see anything either."

Mac shook her head. "No detective. I was in the car waiting for the Commander. When he took longer than expected, I went to go see what he was doing and found him on the floor."

Peter jotted down a few things on a PDA and then looked between Harm and Mac. "Okay, we'll be in touch."

"That's it?" Harm said. "You don't have any information?!" He was really getting irritated with the way that the police handled things. Too many times they had stepped on each others toes and, he found, they did a horrible job on certain things. "What the hell kind of job are you doing?"

"Look, if you think you can do a better. . ." Peter began, but was cut off by his partner.

Liz stood between the two men and pushed Peter backwards. "Okay, thank you. . . We'll do what we can. . . Let's go Pete."

Once the two detectives left, Mac moved towards Harm again and took his hand. She felt sorry for him. There was no reason that he should be caught up in her mess. For whatever reason, this person was after her, it didn't mean that Harm had to be caught up with it. The whole thing reminded her too much of Coster and something he said about men she thought or fantasized about being with. How they were in danger as well. Harm had come to mind, but she couldn't very well tell him that. Sad part was, at the moment that it occurred; Harm was in the room with her and Coster. She swore she could see the disappointment in his eyes as she told Coster that there was no one. He didn't know how frightened she was that the stalker would go after Harm. It would have killed her to see him wind up like Dalton.

Harm watched the myriad of expressions as Mac just gazed off at nothing in particular. He wondered what she was thinking and hoped she knew that this wasn't her fault. It was far from it. He too started to remember Coster and all of the sick things that he had done in order to bring her guard down. The bastard had even gone as far as murdering Mac's ex boyfriend. Harm too was almost on the chopping block. Luckily, when he rescued Mac, Coster had let his guard down enough for Harm to rush him and knock him out. Still, he couldn't save her from herself and he hated that he couldn't stop her from taking the bottle. He was too preoccupied in planning a sketchy attempt of brining the stalker to light and didn't remember to keep her safe.

"We're all done." The doctor said, patting Harm on the shoulder. "We'll discharge you I a few minutes."

PART 5

Saturday

10:30 Local

Harm's Apartment

North of Union Station

Coffee. It was the smell of coffee that woke Harm from a not so peaceful slumber. He was having those dreams again, the ones about the night his F-14 crashed into the Atlantic. Ever since that night, he never really slept quite well. Too many times he would wake up drenched in sweat and gasping for air. He could swear he was still in the ocean, caught in the strings of his parachute with no way to break free. Sometimes he couldn't cut the strings away and the ocean would invade his lungs. Other times, he would make it to the surface, only to be consumed by a massive wave. Today, thankfully, the smell of the coffee had awoken him before he had a chance to slam into the ocean.

Sitting up in bed, he was greeted by the site of Mac in one of his long sleeve plaid shirts watching him from the louvered windows. 'I can get used to this.' He thought as her smile widened. "How you feeling?" She asked, walking around and up the steps to his room.

Harm leaned against the wall and returned the smile. "Head hurts. . . a lot and some parts of my body are under protest but, otherwise I am fine."

Mac chuckled and sat on the edge of the bed and took a look at his head. "Well, at least you aren't seeping." She looked at him for a moment and raised an eyebrow. "Your breathing is a bit labored though."

"Nightmare." He said with a frown and a slow sigh. Harm cocked his head to the side. "Hey, not about you. . ."

Mac shook herself from her thoughts and half smiled. "Stay here, I'll bring you some breakfast and we can talk about it." She stood and made her way to the kitchen. "I made some of that hazelnut coffee you had."

Harm got out the bed and paused to watch her rummaging through the kitchen, so at ease with his things. Sighing, he headed towards the bathroom. When he returned, she already had things ready for them. "Smells good, Mac. . . thanks."

They ate in a comfortable silence and soon after Mac put their plates into the sink and headed back. "So what was that nightmare about? . . . Lemme guess, someone stole your 'vette again?"

Harm chuckled. "Ha. . . No, worse than that." He looked off for a moment and then looked back at Mac who was now seated cross-legged on the bed. "Was about . . . the night I crashed into the drink." Closing his eyes, Harm thought back to all of it again. For a very long time he wondered if there was something else he could have done for that plane not to go down, but everything he did was right.

"It was a rough night for all of us. . . Still, what you went through. . ." Mac's voice trailed off and she willed the tears not to fall. God, how many times had she cried over that night? The nightmares had never stopped even when he was safe and sound and back home. It hurt her that she didn't wish him luck. It hurt her that he was drowning in the ocean while she was celebrating a disaster waiting to happen. It hurt her that she walked away from him when they needed each other most. It hurt her that she wasn't the first person he saw when he woke up. She should have been the one in the ocean that night, not him.

Harm shivered with the thoughts of him dying in the middle of the ocean and never telling her what he felt. He wondered, time and time again, if she would have married Brumby had he arrived safe and sound. Would he have let her? Worst of all, would she have married Brumby if Harm had died in the ocean? He felt her arms go around him and the feelings he always had for her came to the surface again. God, how could she not know what she did to him? He breathed in her scent and let himself get lost if only for a little while. He took to her like a greedy man and let her soothe his hurt. "I should be the one comforting you, Mac." He said softly when her head rested against his own. They'd held each other like this once before, when promising news of Bud's condition was revealed. Mac's soft breath on his skin gave him goose bumps. When he turned his head, he met her gaze. She moved in closer to him, their lips nearing and Harm closed his eyes in anticipation.

Mac softly brushed her lips over his and then pulled back to see Harm's eyes still closed. Smiling, she leaned forward and gave him a full kiss. It wasn't a deeply passionate kiss, but she felt his heart beat faster. When they pulled apart, the flyboy grin was there and so was that look of desire in his eyes which she saw once before, during her engagement party. He cocked his head to the side. "You look tired, Mac."

"I am." She confessed, shrugging because it wasn't important to her. Not when they had made such a huge headway in their relationship. He wanted, her, she was finally sure of that. But, did he love her? That was something she needed to know before she committed to anything with Harm.

Harm reached over and shut off the lamp. The medication he was given was making him drowsy. "Let's go back to sleep, Mac." She nodded and slid herself under the covers and closer to him. They would talk as soon as he was ready to.

Mac grinned once she felt his arms wrap around her body. She could definitely get used to this arrangement. There was something about being in his arms that she had never felt with anyone else. In words, it would describe to be a complete sense of peace and safety. But, it was much more than just that, so much more. Mac felt at home in his arms and that was something that she stopped feeling the night her mother had left her. Even through her relationships, she always felt a void that was missing and for the first time in ages, it was being filled.

Mac closed her eyes and listened to Harm's slow and steady breathing. His breath against her skin felt as intimate as a kiss. She noted how well they fit together, as if God had literally created their bodies to fit one another. Sighing happily, she let herself give into the fantasy that he was hers and she was his. Certain that he was asleep; Mac opened her eyes and whispered a confession. "I love you, Harm." Her voice was soft but the secret had finally reached the ears of the right person.

Harm smirked and wrapped his arms tighter around Mac. "I love you too, Sarah." He said in a soft voice before kissing her softly on the shoulder.

Tears of happiness washed down her cheeks and onto the pillow, she let out a breath that she had been holding and wrapped her own arms around Harm as they both fell into a peaceful slumber.


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you for the reviews... Thankfully I found a back up of this one as one of them is corrupt.

PART 6

1740 Local

Harm's Apartment

North of Union Station

Mac awoke to an empty bed and was sure that their confession of love was just another dream. It almost usually was because, her mind, loved to play tricks on her. So, she got out of bed and headed into the living room where Harm was reading. "Hey there, sleepy head." He said when she approached.

She slid into the chair across from him and tucked her feet under her. "I needed that."

Harm nodded. "Yea, me too. . . I made some tea, if you want some?"

"That would be great." She nodded and watched him move from the living room to the kitchen. He looked much better, she noted and smiled when he started whistling. "You feeling better?"

"Yep." Harm said, handing her a cup of peppermint tea. "Those pills worked wonders." He sat down on his sofa and let out a deep sigh. "Head hurts a little, but, other than that, I am good to go."

"Can I ask you a sensitive question?" She smiled at him and brought up her trademark eyebrow.

Harm nodded and took a sip of his tea. "Yep."

It probably wasn't the time, due to the recent events in her life, to start toying with Harm, but she did agree to herself that it was time to fight for him. "Do you find me attractive?"

At her question, Harm choked on the tea, some of it spilling out of his nose, making Mac chuckle. She grabbed a napkin and helped clean him up some. "Uh, I. . . Well, yes." He finally said.

"Then why haven't you ever made a move?" She raised her eyebrow again and could swear that Harm paled. "I mean, forget about Dalton, Mic and Webb. . . You've had plenty of chances between them. . . why didn't you just go for it?"

"Well. . ." Harm began and took another sip of his tea. He gulped it down, and swore he felt it and some bile rise back up. "Okay. . . how to start." He gathered his thoughts in hope that he wouldn't put his foot in his mouth for the umpteenth time. "Okay. . . When you and I first met, I was smiling at you. . . and I know that subconsciously I have some sort of smile that kicks in around women and I can't help it." At her nod, he grinned and then continued. "Not to sound arrogant. . . but I know some women are attracted to the whole . . aviator/lawyer thing. . . and then came you."

Mac watched him try to formulate words and could practically hear the wheels turning in his head. He was an enigma when it came to words. The man could woo a jury better than anyone, but was a total idiot when it came to talking about personal issues. She wondered if it was just her or every other female he had problems with.

"Aaand. . and, well. . ." He frowned, took a sip of the tea and looked right into her eyes. "You shot me down. . . and from the get go too. . . You didn't give in and that just shocked the hell out of me so I start thinking 'gee, this girl deserves my respect.'. . ." At her shocked look, Harm decided to clarify. "Not that I don't respect women, mind you, I was taught well. . . but you. . . I don't know. . . You do things to me that. . .that don't make sense. . .I get this stupid feeling when you are around. . . the kind when I was a teenager in school and I like it, a lot." He paused for a moment. "I respect you too much to treat you like any other girl in my life. . . I care for you too much to do something stupid and screw things up like I have with every other woman in my life. . . Okay, I know I'm rambling, I'll shut up now."

Mac just chuckled and shook her head. "Maybe I like it when you ramble, Harm."

"Answer the same question." He said softly, smiling when her head jerked up and she shot him that deer in the headlights look. He shrugged innocently. "It's only fair."

Mac set the tea on the table and sighed deeply. "I'm afraid. . ." She said simply and then took a few moments to gather her thoughts and explain. "I'm afraid of making a move and having you push away like you did in Sydney. . . I'm afraid that you'll leave again and I have to spend life without you. . . and I am most afraid that you don't feel the same thing about me as I feel about you."

Harm sat very still as if any movement that he would make would make her flee. "What is it that you feel, Mac?" He too had wondered if the words they confessed last night were real or some very elaborate dream of his.

"Love." Smiling, she raised her eyes and looked at him. "I know it's stupid. . .like you told me once 'what does love have to do with anything.'"

Harm reached over and took her hand. His thumb began running circles around the back of her hand. "I was wrong then. . .and believe me when I tell you that. . .that I love you."

She looked down at their hands entwined together. "As long as you believe me when I say that I love you."

Harm pulled her to him and their lips met in a kiss that was neither romantic nor soft. He urgently kissed her thoroughly and she kissed him back in return. Her tongue parted his lips and searched out his own as they dueled and meshed together. He murmured against her lips. "Are you sure?"

She nodded and said between kisses, "Yes. . . very . . . sure."

Harm stood and brought Mac up with him. He brought his hands over his head, allowing for her to take his t-shirt off. His hands fumbled with the buttons of his shirt which she was wearing, again. He swore that the woman could make a brown paper bag look sexy. Scooping her into his arms, he moved through the apartment and up the three steps to his bedroom, dropping her into the bed.

Mac turned to the side watched as Harm took off his pants and stood next to the bed, daring her to continue. She moved towards the edge of the bed and moved to her knees. Her hands glided over the planes of his chest, stopping at each hard peck before she moved down to his sides and over his tight abs. She took in the sight of his boxers and looked back up at Harm, silently asking him to remove the crisp white material. He did as her eyes asked and stood, completely naked in front of Mac. He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes as he felt her eyes take in all of him. "You're beautiful." She told him, before touching the part of him that wanted to be touched the most.

Mac moved closer to him, seeking his lips with her own. They kissed hard and passionately before Harm pushed her down into the mattress, his body covering her own. "You're perfect, Sarah. . . Perfect." He whispered as his body descended upon her own.

"Mmmm. . . Sarah." He groaned and maintained eye contact with her the whole time, making the moment much more intense.

"Mmm… Harm!" She yelped as she went to the edge and blindly toppled over. Seconds later, she felt his own release and a few groans to signify that his body had been brought to completion. His body lay over hers, their breaths coming in short intervals, their hearts beating as one. She couldn't help the tears that came to her eyes, ones that she couldn't stop. Mac wasn't embarrassed to be crying in front of Harm anymore. She needed to let them out, to give into something that they both were holding back.

"Mac?" What's wrong? He asked, with a voice laced with concern and desire for her. He moved off of her as quickly as he could and leaned next to her, his eyes trying to search out her own, which were tightly shut. "Did. . . did I hurt you?"

Mac shook her head and offered him a smile. "No, you were wonderful, Harm."

"Why the tears?" He was still concerned, very concerned.

Her hands traced his jaw line, his lips. "Because I am happy. . ." She said and then defended. "It's a female thing. . ."

Harm visibly relaxed and let out a deep breath. "You scared me." He brought her into his arms and held her tightly. "I thought for a moment . . you thought. . I mean."

As if she could read her mind, Mac put his fears to rest. "This wasn't wrong, Harm. . . this was very very very right and long overdo."

"Very." Harm agreed, bringing his lips onto her own and grinning when her hand began moving circles around his chest. He looked at her shyly when she found him ready again. Shrugging, he grinned. "You're addictive."

"You're not so bad yourself." She said, adding a giggle when he started nibbling that spot on her neck again. "It's gonna be a long night." Mac, said breathlessly before feeling the weight of his body moving over hers again.


	6. Chapter 6

PART 7

10:20 Local

Harm's Apartment

North of Union Station

Mac woke up to the feeling of someone's arms around her. She took a deep breath, inhaled Harm's scent and smiled. Last night was the single most wonderful time of her life. They'd made love four times more before the both of them finally fell into an exhausted slumber. 'He was incredible.' She thought, 'Best I've ever had.' Grinning, she felt his unshaven cheek rub against her neck before he proceeded to place soft kisses whenever he rubbed. "Mmmm. . . Good morning." She said, wrapping her arms around his own.

"Yes it is." He said, turning her over so that he could kiss her lips fully. Harm ran his hand slowly up her body, stopping at each curve and running a circle around before bringing his hand to the side of her face. "Last night was. . ."

"Incredible." She answered for him before the two chuckled. Mac ran the back of her hand over Harm's face. She topped at his lips and traced them before she placed a kiss on them. "Harm. . ."

"Sarah. . ." He said, kissing her again, deeper this time. "I love you." He whispered in her ear before pulling the blanket off of them so that he could have access to her body.

"And I love you, Harm." Mac said, closing her eyes as his lips moved to her throat and downward. She giggled when his hands grazed her sides, tickling her.

Harm grazed his chin over her abdomen, leaving goose bumps as he went. "God, Mac, you are so addictive. . ." He licked her bellybutton and placed a kiss under it. ". . .I am going to do things to you that you only dreamed about." He promised, but a knock on his door cut his momentum short like a needle scratching a record. "Shit. . ." He cursed, and looked up at Mac who was laying there with a confused look on her face. ". . . On Sunday I make breakfast for Jen and Mattie." He sighed, gave Mac a quick kiss and got off the bed. He slipped on his boxers, flannel pants and one of his undershirts. "I'm sorry."

"Rain check." Mac yelled, chuckling at their predicament. Wincing that her things were in the living room, she put on whatever she could find in Harm's room.

"Ya know, Harm." Mattie began, walking through the door and propping herself up on one of the stools in front of the kitchen island. "Maybe Jen and I should make breakfast next week?"

Jen, who walked in at that moment agreed. "Or we could go out? Denny's or something like that."

Harm looked at the two of him and shook his head. "How is it that the two of you are soooo spunky in the morning?"

Jen chuckled. "We, unlike you, sir, are morning persons." She grinned at Harm and leaned against the island.

"Can you two set the table?" Harm nodded towards it and added. "Set it for four."

"Ah, where's Mac?" Mattie said with a grin, watching as Harm gave her that 'don't go there' look.

Jen, who had started folding paper napkins to put on the table, stopped and looked towards Harm's bedroom and over at Mac who was coming down the stairs dressed in one of HIS shirts. The glowing expression on Mac's face didn't go unnoticed by anyone in the apartment.

"Mornin' Jen, Mattie." Mac smiled at Jen and Mattie and then headed over to Harm. "Need any help?" She asked in a soft voice.

Harm used *that* smile that he used only around her. The one that everyone in JAG ops had noticed he gave Mac and only Mac. "You can start the coffee." He said in a very soft voice. His eyes drank the site of her in his shirt and he grinned. "That shirt is pretty familiar." Though it was some mundane task of putting breakfast together, the sparks of comfortable intimacy between the two was not lost on Jen and Mattie who just stood their, watching Harm and Mac interact as if they'd been a couple for years.

Mattie and Jen exchanged looks of shock, before Mattie exclaimed, "Finally! You two are together?"

Harm jumped and managed to tear his gaze away from Mac. "Mattie… I ah. . . ."

Grinning, Mattie moved from the table and over to the two adults who were now blushing. "Harm! I am a big girl. . ." She noticed the blushing and frightened looks shared between the adults. ". . . you two ARE together. . ." She confirmed and looked over at Jen who was smiling at the uncomfortable situation that kids seemed to magically put adults into. "This is sooo cool!"

Harm and Mac stared at each other and then looked at the two who were grinning at them. "Yes, we're together." Mac confirmed, leaning a head on Harm's shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Sir, Ma'am" Jen began, nodding at the respective persons. "Permission to speak freely?"

Mac chuckled. "Jen. . . out of uniform you can call us Mac and Harm."

"Well then, Mac. . . It's about damned time." She said matter-of-factly before turning to help Mattie finish setting the table.

Harm looked at Mac and sighed happily. "I have to agree." He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss before trying to finish their breakfast.

During their meal, the girls sat discussing the latest adventures of the kids of the OC. Harm, who doesn't own a TV, was extremely confused. It took him a good three explanations before he found out who was who.

"Yea. . . but it was totally Ryan's fault, I mean instead of going to Marissa, he goes around ACTING guilty! And with his rep. . ." Mattie trailed off and looked over at Harm.

"Ryan is the juvie kid and Marissa is his girlfriend?" He was slowly, but surely catching on, though, he couldn't honestly see how anyone could watch a show that was THAT much like a soap opera.

Mac nodded. "And Oliver is the rich kid that is trying to take Marissa away from Ryan."

Harm sighed. "Well, now I am not so confused."

"So when are you two getting married?" Mattie said, effectively bringing the OC conversation to a close.

"Mattie!" Harm shouted, attempting to reprimand her with his shocked expression.

Mattie just shrugged and looked over at a shocked Jennifer Coates. "According to Jen you two have known each other for a long time."

"Nine years." Harm and Mac said at the same time.

Mattie grinned. "Well, so there! You guys know each other already."

"Normally people date before they get married." Harm said looking over at Mac who just nodded in agreement. "You can't call working dinners, dates."

Mac chuckled. "Though, some of our times together were better than those dating shows. . . Like you hanging out of the helo?"

Harm immediately started laughing. "Permission to come aboard?"

Jen looked at the two of them. "He hung out of a helo?"

Mac laughed. "A little over 24 hours after we met, I was sorta kidnapped. . ."

"Sorta!" Harm exclaimed, pushing himself a bit farther from the table. "Mac, they were holding you at gun point and leaving me behind when they shoved you and your uncle into the helo."

Mac glared at him and smirked. "So. . . I was sorta kidnapped and put inside a helicopter. Harm was going to be left behind in the middle of the desert. . . So, he ran, hooked himself onto the legs of the helo and between the two of us, we managed to disarm the bad guys. . . ." She grinned at Mattie and Jen's shocked expressions. "So, he is left hanging outside and when I am helping him he asks for permission to come aboard." She chuckled remembering how stupid it was for him to ask for permission. It was something that she liked about him since the beginning, his cocky attitude even in the face of danger.

Hours later, after Mattie and Jen headed off to the movies, Harm and Mac wound up in the bedroom once again. She was straddling him, moving her hips against his own. He moaned when she picked up the pace. Opening his yes, Harm saw the look on her face. Her eyes were closed, but there was a grin of satisfaction. Both of their bodies were covered in beads of sweat, some of which he had licked off of her breasts. The saltiness of her sweat, combined with the sweetness of her skin, made him want to devour every inch of her skin. They held on tighter to each other, eyes closed, mouths fused together and soon they were spent. Mac laid her head on his shoulder and sighed happily. Minutes later she released him from her and stood, dragging him into the shower with her. Harm just grinned and followed along.

She started the shower and Harm just watched with an amused look as she dipped her head back and let the water run down her body. He stepped into the shower and her hands linked around his neck as they kissed. "You're addictive too." She said with a chuckle when she found him ready for her again.

"It's been a while." He confessed shyly.

Grinning, she brought him up against her. "Like I am going to complain? We have eight years to make up for."

Harm chuckled. "Well, time to start making them up then." He said, before their mouths fused again.


	7. Chapter 7

Part 8

Tuesday

1110 Local

JAG Headquarters

Falls Church, Virginia

Monday Harm, Mac and Jen, spent most of the day dealing with files that the Admiral had dropped on them sometime in that morning. After that, Harm had to help Mattie with her home work and after that, they needed to go to sleep to head into HQ bright and early. Harm had made several calls during the day to DC police only to be told the same thing. "Ms. MacKenzie's case is being looked into, we will contact you as soon as we find something." And Click, the person would hang up. He came to the conclusion that both Peter Kain and Liz VanEdee were ignoring him.

As Tuesday finally came around, things decided not to progress in regards to Mac's attacker. After staff meeting, Coates informed her of a call from DC police. They had round up several suspects and needed her to go and view the line up. The trip to the station had been completely time consuming and pointless. Mac went alone, borrowing a JAG car and refusing to tell Harm what she was up to. He'd done enough for her and she wasn't going to take away from his work. She figured, that on the way back from the station, she could stop by and get testimonials for the desertion case she and Bud were working on.

When Mac walked her way into the station dressed in her Marine greens, she noticed that both of the detectives regarded her differently. She could see the both of them take in the woman in the uniform that was so much different from the woman sitting in front of them some days ago wearing oversized sweat shirts and hiding emotional wounds from the attack. "Colonel MacKenzie, how are you today?" Peter said, trying to get a good look at what Mac's badges said.

Mac nodded. "Wanting to catch this guy, is how I am." She said it sternly and watched Peter visibly cringe when he finally caught site of the pistol and rifle expert badges. "Well?" She said, hoping to snap him out of it. "You said there was a line up?"

Peter glanced up at her and motioned over to Liz. "Ah, yes. . . sorry. . . right this way."

They walked through the maze of desks and offices, took an elevator down and wound up in a room who's wall colors were more suited for a mental institution than a police station. Liz instructed Mac on what would occur when the lights were shut off in the room and she couldn't help but feel like a child being taught a new lesson in life. She nodded politely and resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she was reminded, several times, that the men would not be able to see her through the glass window followed by the sixth mention of the phrase, "Take your time."

Mac watched as six men were brought into the line up room, standing side by side. There were men of different sizes and builds, yet they all had some similar physical trait. They were instructed to place the baseball caps they were holding on their heads and for them to turn to the side.

Mac took her time and glanced at each one of them. She consulted her memory bank, bringing to life that night and whatever she could remember from the assailant. "He's not there." She said after two minutes of scrutiny. "He had a tattoo on his forearm. . ."

Liz and Peter looked at each other and then back at Mac. "Are you sure you saw that tattoo there, Ms. MacKenzie?"

Mac nodded. "Yes, I saw it clearly. . . When he raised his arms up, holding the bat. . ." She thought back and remembered the bat going over the assailants head. As he raised his arms, his sleeve moved downward and she could see clearly the scorpion, it's tail raised and ready to strike, it's clippers ready to grip. ". . .I know what I saw." For good measure she turned back to the line up and took one last look at all of them. "It's not any of them. . . even my gut feeling says so."

Peter sighed heavily and made his way out of the room without even so much as a polite goodbye. Liz looked at Peter and then over to Mac and frowned. "These men had been picked up around the area. . . We hoped maybe it would jog your memory."

"What is there to jog? I told you what I saw. . . I told you that I didn't see his face! What kind of job are you doing?" When Mac didn't get an answer, she turned on her heels and made her way out of the police station and back to JAG HQ.

1420 Local

JAG Headquarters

Falls Church, Virginia

"Where the hell is she?" Harm said, as he tried, for the fifth time that hour to get in contact with Mac. He tried her cell phone, home phone, his home phone. He would have asked Jen, but she was out to lunch. Gruesome thoughts occupied his mind, thoughts of her trapped in a mangled car wreck. Thoughts of her getting hit by a car or worse, thoughts of the madman who had attacked her finally having his way. It was that thought alone that had him at the boiling point. The more he thought about things the harder he tapped his pen against one of the filing cabinets. The sound was irritating nearly everyone sitting around the bullpen, but all knew better than to asked a pissed off Commander to cut it out.

It was Harriet who finally made her way over to him and took away the pen, giving him a small smile. "Sir, is something wrong?"

"You wouldn't happen to know where the Colonel is, do you?" He said coarsely, glaring down at Harriet.

"N. . No, No, sir." Harriet stammered. It was the truth, after Coates had contacted her, Mac made her way out of HQ and had not called in. "She did have an appointment outside of the office, sir. . .but she should have been back by now."

Harm stood in front of Harriet and sighed. Just as he was about to retreat into his office, Mac walked through the glass doors of JAG ops. "Mac!" He exclaimed, moving through the bullpen and following Mac to her office. "Where the hell were you!?"

Mac stopped and glared at him, not liking his tone of voice. "I am going to ignore that you used THAT tone with me." She spat at him, before slamming her briefcase and cover on her desk. "I went to the police station. Detectives Kain and VanEdee wanted me to view a line up."

Harm just looked at her. Did she not understand that he didn't want her to go out alone? That he needed to keep her safe? "And. . ." He said annoyed, as he moved his arms across his chest.

Mac let out a deep breath and glared to a spot just over his shoulder. She didn't want to look at him when she said, "And nothing. . . Nothing at all. . ." Turning to the window she pointed out. "That bastard is still out there."

"Which is why you should have waited for me." Harm began as if he were reprimanding Mattie. "You know that he is out there. . . You know he was at your home. . ."

She turned and faced out the window again. The gloominess from a rainy DC day was making her mood worse. "Harm, you can't go around like my bodyguard, it isn't right and it isn't fair to you."

"Screw right and screw fair. . ." He moved his way next to her desk and put a hand on her shoulder. "I've lost you too many times. . . and I am not losing you again."

She turned to look up at his eyes. They were so sincere. "Run. . ." Mac said as she swallowed the knot that was building in her throat. "Run away from me before it's too late."

Harm shook his head. "I am not running and I am not letting you run away."

"Damnit Harm! Stop playing the damned hero!" She yelled and caught the attention of AJ who was on his way to his office.

The Admiral poked his head into Mac's office and stared at his two officers. "You two, my office, NOW." He barked at the two and headed off with Harm and Mac following. "Close the hatch." Sighing, AJ slid into his chair and just looked at the two standing at attention before his desk. "Colonel, why is it that I find out through a third party about your predicament this weekend?"

"Sir. . . I. ." Mac began, but was shortly cut off.

"Commander." AJ, looked over at Harm. "Apparently you knew that the Colonel was in danger, but you didn't see it fit to inform me?"

"I am sorry, Sir. But, I . . ."

AJ sprung out of his chair and headed between Harm and Mac. "I want to know about these things. . . What the hell makes the two of you think that I don't need to know?" He glared a the two of them. "I am your commanding officer, yes. . . but I am also a friend. . . and I don't need to hear about you two being attacked from the damned DC police!"

Harm and Mac knew better than to interrupt the Admiral when he was THIS pissed off. Instead, they both stood at attention, looking ahead without eyeballing his movements.

"Now." AJ said, returning to his desk and settling into his chair. "Both of you take a seat." As he waited for them to do so, he glanced at the police report that he managed to get a copy of. "Mac, I read what happened, do you need to take any time off?"

Mac looked up at AJ and shook her head. "No sir, I really wasn't injured, just a few scratches. . . mentally I am fine to do my job."

AJ looked over at Harm. "Harm, you were also attacked?"

"Yes, sir." Harm nodded. "When the Colonel and I went to her home to retrieve some of her belongings, someone was there, gave me a blow to the head." He shrugged. "I was honestly too preoccupied in making sure the Colonel was comfortable in my home than to worry about contacting anyone. . . I am sorry, sir."

AJ nodded and tilted his chair back. "Is there anything that I can do?"

Mac shook her head. "Not at the moment, sir. . .if anything comes up, you'll be the first to know."

Harm slid to the edge of the chair and looked at Mac thoughtfully before looking towards AJ. "There is one thing sir. . . Remember the man that stalked Mac nearly six years ago? Would we be able to find where he is locked up? Maybe see if he had anything to do with this." He looked over at Mac who glared angrily at Harm. Little did he know that she was planning on finding out about Coster's whereabouts without his help.

"Coates, find me the records for a former DC detective named Frank Coster. . . he was on the force about six years ago." AJ said into the intercom and looked up at Mac. "I know you will want to visit him. . . the Commander is going with you."

"But, sir. . . I am a Marine, I can take care of. . ."

"Colonel, do I need to make that an order?" AJ barked at her.

Mac sighed deeply. "No, sir."

"He's in Coffeewood Correctional Center, sir." Coates said over the intercom. "That's in Mitchells and should be about an hour and a half drive."

The Admiral looked between the two officers. "Well, get a move on. . . and good luck, dismissed."

"Aye, sir." They said in semi-unison before leaving to face a piece of their past.

PART 9

1613 Local

Coffeewood Correctional Center

Mitchells, Virginia

Mac cringed when Coster was brought through to a small interview room. He really hadn't changed much since the last time she saw him. She remembered quite well his courtroom hearing, to which she and Harm were brought in as witnesses. As she stood on the stand, she told her account of what he had done. Harm told his part in the whole thing and Coster was found guilty of kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder. Eerily, the sounds of his screams as he was being lead away in handcuffs had haunted her. "Even God forgives." She said, softly, looking over at Harm who was watching Coster through the mirrored window.

Harm sighed and looked over at her. "How do you want to do this?"

She shook her head and turned her attention back to the figure in the room. 'I'm a Marine,' She thought, 'I can handle this. . .' But the reassurance that her inner warrior was trying to give her wasn't working. Instead, Mac looked up at Harm and shrugged. "I can't go in there, Harm. . . I"

"I understand." Harm said, before moving around her and opening the door to the room. He walked in slowly and stood with his arms crossed in front of Coster who started a malevolent chuckle at the sight of him.

"Rabb. . . well I never thought I'd see you again." Coster said, pointing at the chair across the table, motioning for Harm to take a seat. "I've been thinking a lot about you lately." Grinning, he looked Harm up and down. "I should have killed you before I did in Lowne, would have saved me a whole lot of trouble."

As Mac stood by the mirrored window, she shook off a shiver that was creeping its way into her. Dalton's murder wasn't something she thought about much after Coster had been put away. But she had, on several occasions wondered if Harm was ever on Coster's hit list. The thought of her holding Harm's bloodied body instead of Dalton made the bile rise in her throat.

Harm sat across from Coster, keeping his cool blue eyes on the man as if he could burn through him with his gaze. "But, you didn't. . . and now you are rotting here. . ." He looked around and then back at Coster. ". . . No possibility of parole."

Coster smiled at Harm and then looked directly into the mirror. "Hello Sarah. . . I missed you too."

Mac closed her eyes tightly and fought off a wave of vertigo that suddenly came over her. She used her hands to steady herself before the warden offered her a chair to sit in.

Harm stood and blocked Coster's vantage point. "Who did you send? I want a name, number, address. . . ANYTHING we can use to get that guy the hell away from her."

Coster stared up at Harm and furled his brow. "Rabb, what the hell are you talking about?"

Harm took two steps and grabbed Coster by the collar, lifting him out of the chair. "Who the fuck did you send after her? Huh? . . . Tell me or I swear I'll kill you!"

"Harm!" Mac said, walking tentatively into the room. "Let him go."

Harm shoved Coster back into his seat and took a few steps backwards. He watched as Mac used that self-assurance that she usually found. Still he could see her hands slowly strangling her cover, a sign that Mac wasn't all that cool or collected.

"Hello Frank." She said, nodding at Coster who just sat there looking at her.

Coster grinned. "My, my, my, you've gotten more beautiful through the years. . . I see you are a Colonel now, congratulations."

"Let's cut to the chase." Mac began leaning over the table and tossing a few of the pictures she managed to snag from DC police. "Someone has been going around beating and raping women. . . You know who it is, don't you?"

Coster, accustomed to looking at gruesome crime scene photos, didn't even finch. "Why would I know a thing like that, Mac?"

Sighing, she took the pictures away and handed the folder to Harm. "Did you send him after me?" When he didn't answer, she spook up in a drill instructor voice. "Answer me! . . .Did you send this scumbag after me?"

"No." Coster said slowly, before looking between Harm and Mac. Instantly, he knew there was something between the two of them. "Who knows what crazy thing crazy people are willing to do to get the person they love. . . for all you know, he already knows where you are Sarah. . . for all you know, Rabb is the next one on his list along with you."


	8. Chapter 8

PART 10

Tuesday

1950 Local

Harm's Apartment

North of Union Station

The ride home had been silent, the only sounds were of the car wheels spinning on the pavement below. Several things raced through Mac's mind. She thought about the men that she had encountered recently. Clients who she prosecuted within the past year. Even one of Sadik's men who just so happen to have the resource to come and find her out. Nothing struck a definitive chord. The fact of the matter was that she would have to live in fear and pray that the bastard would make some mistake and be caught. She couldn't help but feel nauseated at the other victims that may be scattered around the DC area. Victims, with boyfriends, husbands, parents, worried to death and living without closure.

Mac thought about her own death and who would mourn had she come to an untimely end. It was a thought that had passed through her mind so many times before. Looking over at Harm she wondered what would happen to him. How long would it take for him to forget her? Years? Months? Days? She'd wanted to ask him time and time again how long it took him to get over Diane. Or if he was really ever over her. But, that was a can of worms that she wasn't ready to open. Not now, not ever. Ever since Paraguay and the demise of Sadik, she valued her own life just a bit more. And now, in retrospect of everything that occurred since then, she valued Harm's a bit more, too.

When they arrived at his apartment, Mac walked in slowly. She glanced towards the shadows, squinting and trying to see if there was anything there. "What if he is here Harm? . . . What if he is waiting for us to go to sleep before he walks in and chops us both into pieces?"

The gruesome thoughts played through Harm's head as well. He feared for her safety but his greatest fear was that he would not be able to protect her. "Mac, you are being a bit dramatic." He said, before he had a chance to re-think his words.

"Dramatic?" Mac yelled at him, moving in close as if she were starting a 12 round fight. "He could have killed me!"

Harm put his hands up in defeat and backed a few steps away from her. "I know. . .But we need to keep a clear head about this. . . Let's just calm down, have dinner, shower and hit the rack."

"What if. . . what if he hurts you?" Tears she'd been holding back since the moment she stepped out of the police station, started running freely down her cheeks.

Harm moved close and wrapped his arms around her. He didn't have anything to say. He couldn't say anything if he wanted to because too many bad thoughts were going through his mind. All he could do was try and comfort her and hope that some of that comfort would reach him. "Mac. . . go shower, and we can try to relax for what is left of the night. . . Tomorrow I'll call Chegwidden and tell him that we'll be a little late." He watched as she nodded and moved towards his bedroom, disappearing into the bathroom.

He looked up at the roof and said a silent prayer before grabbing the pizza and two cokes from the refrigerator. As he started going through some of his bills when the shrill of his phone stopped his momentum. "Rabb." He said into the phone and was surprised to be hearing from Detective Kain.

"Commander, it's Detective Kain. . .we may have a lead." Peter said, glancing at some of the latest info about a woman who lived through the whole ordeal. "There is a 24 year old USN Ensign, Olivette Sheldon. . . she works at one of the offices in Norfolk." He flipped a page on the sheet and staring back at him was a picture of the girl as she was found in a parking lot in DC. "She was found last night. . . luckily, she's still alive, but in an ICU at Bethesda."

Harm jotted all of the information down. "Were you able to speak to her?"

"Yep, she was attacked not more than a few blocks where Ms. MacKenzie was." Peter said and took a look at a small paper which he got information of where Ensign Sheldon had been that night. "I also have a list here of the shops she was at that night. I was thinking you could ask Ms. MacKenzie about the places she went to. . .If the stores have a camera, we're going to check the tapes and see if anyone was watching her. Got a fax machine there?"

Harm waited for the fax to come through and then called Peter back. "Out of all of the girls attacked, how many were in the military?"

"Only two others." Peter said with a sigh. "We were hoping that was a lead. . ."

Harm thought for a moment. "Have you thought of finding out if the bat he used could be bought at a specific place?"

"Louisville Slugger, you can get them anywhere. . . we ran a dead in there as well. . .Just a moment, Commander." Peter said, putting Harm on hold.

At that moment, Mac chose to walk out of the room and over to Harm. "Who is it?"

"Detective Kain. . . there was another attack but the girl survived." He watched Mac let out a deep breath, thankful to hear that it wasn't another murder. Handing her the paper with the list of stores, he pointed at it. "She went to those places last night. . ."

Mac nodded and took a glance at the paper stopping at one store in particular. "I went to this store that night. . . and only that store." She pointed New York and Co name on the paper and looked up at him.

"Detective." Harm said, when Peter came back on the line. "The Colonel says she had been to the New York and Co store on that evening."

"Okay." Peter said, jotting down that bit of information. "We'll send someone out there tomorrow as soon as we can, I'll keep in touch with you. . . and, I am sorry we got off on the wrong foot, Commander. . . Good night."

Harm hug up the phone and placed it in it's cradle. He glanced over at Mac who was already curled up on the sofa waiting to eat their pizza. "Comfy, Marine?"

"Yep." She nodded with a smile that was faker than anything he'd ever seen on her. He sighed deeply. Maybe he would also visit that store sometime tomorrow? It wouldn't hurt. "Do you ever think about her?"

Harm looked over at Mac and raised both his eyebrows. "Think of who?"

"Diane." She said softly, her eyes not meeting his.

"Maaaac." He began in protest

"Tell me the truth, please."

Sigh, he shook his head as he sat next to her. "Why is this so important?"

"It just is." She said tentatively, watching him frown.

"Sometimes. . ." He confessed, taking a deep breath. "It's in my mental file folder labeled 'why?'"

Mac sat up and snatched a slice of pizza. "Lemme guess, your father is also in there?"

Nodding, he filled both of their glasses up with soda and took a bit gulp of his own. He was going to need aspirin and lots of it. "And you were also in there. . ."

"You know, I found out a few things about you and Diane from Keeter." She said after swallowing a bite of pizza.

Harm sat there shocked. "Keeter? When?. . .ooooh the desert."

"After you left that we went off with the Bedouins, he said that you gave me 'the look.'"

"The look? What look?"

Sipping some of her Coke, Mac looked at him and grinned. "This is exactly what Keeter said 'Mac, he gave you the look.' . . ." The grin quickly faded and was replaced by a frown. "He said that you had this look on your face that you would only give Diane."

Silence. Harm sat there for a moment in silence, still holding his coke. His stomach, now in knots and no longer in the mood to eat anything. "Okay. . .Um. . . okay?. . "

Mac took another bite of the pizza. "He also said that he had the hots for Diane, but that you got her first."

"This is true." Harm confessed in a low voice.

"And. . . interestingly enough, it took quite a while for you two to get together. . . he says that she chased you, and you pushed away. . . and eventually, you let go. . ."

Harm cleared his throat. "Sounds familiar, eh?"

Mac nodded ruefully. "Just a bit."

Harm stood up and paced in front of her. A million things swam through his head. Was she trying to push him away again? "Mac. . . you look like Diane, that is all. . . When I kiss you, I kiss you. . . When I talk to you, I talk to you. . . When I make love to you, I make love to you. . .Not Diane. . . She was put to rest a long time ago. . ."

"What would have happened had she lived?"

Harm sighed. "She would have gotten tired of me. . . I guess." He shrugged. "Diane and I missed more than we connected. . .we cared for each other. . . I dare say we loved each other, but it didn't mean we were supposed to be together." He stopped for a moment and remembered an argument that they had towards the end of, what was to be, her final tour of duty. "She didn't understand my love for planes. . . I was so hung up with her because of how it happened. . . how I never got to talk to her again. . . tell her I was sorry for an argument that we had before she arrived. . . I was really looking forward to spending a week with her and seeing if we could work things out for good. . ."

Mac remembered the night she had arrived at his apartment. The picture she saw of a woman who could have been her. "It never happened. . ."

"No. . ." He said sadly, and looked at Mac.

"Do, you think that God maybe put me in your life to fill a void?"

"A void left by Diane?" At her nod he continued. "No, because that would be cruel. . . also, it wouldn't be fair to you or me and if that were the case, he wouldn't have taken her so soon."

Mac nodded and they finished their meal in a comfortable silence, after which, he tucked her into bed and stayed with her until she fell asleep. When he made sure, she was fast asleep, Harm moved off of the bed and headed out into the living room. He looked out the window and to the empty streets below. Was their conversation that night a sign? Some sort of cosmic sound telling him to prepare to lose yet another person in his life? It couldn't be, he'd paid his dues too many damn times to have someone he loved this much be taken away. He remained by the window, trying to decipher the answers to things he didn't want to contemplate, and for the first time in years, Harm cried.


	9. Chapter 9

PART 11

Wednesday

1329 Local

Washington, D.C.

It had taken Harm a little bit of time to escape from JAG headquarters without Mac. He had spoken to the Admiral and let him know that he would be conducting a personal investigation in regards to Mac's case. He half expected AJ to have him do the investigation on his own time and instead was let out of the office to follow up with the possible lead at New York and Co.

Walking into the store, Harm was immediately greeted by a perky clerk dressed in a tight black, leather skirt and a plunging blue v-neck. He just waved her off and proceeded to walk through the store hoping to find someone that he would be able to question. At the counter was an older woman, someone, he noted, that was probably his age. He used his trademark flyboy grin and immediately got the attention he was looking for. "Good afternoon Ma'am. . . I'm Commander Harmon Rabb with the JAG Corps. . . and I am wondering if you could help me out."

The woman unconsciously batted her eyebrows and leaned against the counter, giving Harm's eyes full access to her cleavage from the low v-neck she was wearing. "You can call me Miranda and what might you be looking for Commander?" She giggled as she said his title and then did the familiar tossing of the hair thing.

Harm resisted the need to roll his eyes and took out a few pictures from his breast pocket. "Have you seen either of these two ladies?"

Miranda glanced at the pictures and then back up at Harm. "I remember her." She said, pointing at a picture of Mac. "We were low on staff that day, so I helped pick out a few things for her. . .I told her she needed to drab up, that uniform, horrendous and with a body like hers!"

Harm chuckled. A mental image of Mac defending her uniform popped into mind. Shaking it from his head, he nodded. "Did you see her chatting with anyone? Perhaps a gentleman followed her into the store? Did she argue with anyone?"

"No. . .no, then again, I see so many people per day. . it's kinda hard to remember each and every one." She chuckled and then turned around before turning back to Harm. "Ya know, let me get Luke out here. . .maybe he can help you out. . .I believe he rang up her purchase." She disappeared for a few moments and when she reappeared, Miranda walked out with a guy half a head shorter than Harm with dark blue eyes, dressed in dark dress pants, a dark blue shirt and even darker blue tie.

The man couldn't have been older than 24, Harm noted as he looked him up and down. "Luke?" He said to the guy and handed him the pictures. "Have you seen any of these girls here before?"

Luke stiffened for a moment when he saw that Harm had given him pictures of the crime scenes. The faces of beautiful girls now as bloody messes glanced up at him. "Sir?" He said, looking up at Harm with a horrified expression on his face.

Harm looked at him up and down and noticed a very small scar on his chin. "What happened there, Luke?" He pointed at his own chin.

Luke rubbed his chin and then shook his head. "Accident when I was a kid. . ." He nodded towards the pictures and then looked at Harm. "What is that about?"

Harm shrugged. "Well, I think you have something to do with that. . ."

"Me?" Luke said, taking a few steps back and laughing. "You are crazy, buddy!"

"Really?" Harm laughed with him before wiping the smile from his face and glaring at the younger man. "Then lift up your sleeve. . .I want to see what you have there."

"What?" Luke said, looking at Harm as if he'd grown two heads. "I am not doing jack shit!"

Harm grabbed Luke and tried to pry open his shirt. "Let me see your forearm!"

"Security!" Miranda called and no more than five seconds later, Harm was peeled off of Luke and escorted out of the store.

"Stay away from her, you son of a bitch!" Harm yelled back at Luke who stood there with a confused expression. "You stay the hell away from Mac!"

1740 Local

JAG Headquarters

Falls Church, Virginia

"Stand at attention." The Admiral said as he walked around Harm. He knew he was in deep trouble the moment Harriet had said something in regards to him getting his butt back to the office ASAP. After his assault on Luke and the little skirmish with the security who pried him off of Luke, the Admiral was probably not in the best of moods. "What the hell were you thinking?"

Harm, knowing full well that AJ was getting started, stood at attention and would only answer when demanded to. He winced as AJ's voice escaladed it's normal range.

"I let you go ahead on this investigation because you and the Colonel are close. . ." AJ walked around and stood face to face with Harm. "I didn't expect you to go off and play Wyatt Eyrp!" He moved backwards a bit. "You are a disgrace to the Navy and that uniform that you are wearing. . . and I am applaed to hear about this."

"With all due respect, sir." Harm said, knowing that the moment his next sentence would formulate, he was in some hot waters. "You too did something un-officer like a few years ago." He was referring to the type when AJ, in anger struck a teenager.

"And I felt horrible about it!" AJ barked at Harm, coming toe to toe with him again. "You are NOT to interfere anymore with DC police on this matter. . . if that person was who they were after, you've now officially screwed up their case and effectively endangered your partner even more. . ."

"But sir…."

"Commander. . ." AJ began in a tone much more stern that he was using. "I expect you, to finish the reports that you have on your desk TONIGHT. . . and report to this office bright and early tomorrow for an Admiral's Mast. . . DISMISSED."

"Aye, sir." Harm said, executing a perfect about face and leaving AJ's office only to be stopped by Mac. "Ma . . Mac." He stammered, noting the angry look on her face.

"Are you crazy?" She said, in a voice that was just a slight bit above a whisper. She'd spent most of the day worried about Harm. She knew too well what he was like and how obsessed he could be about certain issues. This, she knew, was probably another one of the issues.

Harm shook his head. "I'm sorry. . . I just wanted to. . ."

"I know, but. . ." She sighed and let it go. There was no point in arguing this with him, Harm would always be stubborn. "Let's just go home."

"I can't. . . the Admiral ordered me to stay and finish the pending files. . . Maybe Sturgis can take you home?" He offered a slight smile and a shrug.

Mac nodded. "See you later."

"Yea," He said, she was gone. Heading into his office, he found several messages from Peter Kain, non of which Harm responded to. He was already in hot water and didn't want to hear from a pissed off detective as well. Sighing, he started working on the files, when, around 2300, a call came in to his line. "JAG Headquarters, Commander Rabb speaking." He said into the receiver and was surprised to hear from Detective Kain.

"Commander." Kain said and Harm winced at the onslaught he was sure he was going to receive. "Did you get my messages?" His voice was normal, not too elevated or upset sounding.

"No, I've been handing case files most of the day, I just sat down." A lie, but a necessary one. "What's up?"

Peter snorted, "Well I won't get into your little skirmish at New York Co. I am sure your CO probably tore you a new one. . . so, I am just going to get to the bottom of it." Peter paused for effect and then took a deep breath. "I think he may be the guy."

"What makes you think that?" Harm said, sitting up straight in his chair.

Peter sighed. "Well, ever since you spoke to him, the guy has disappeared. He isn't at his home, at his girlfriend's home and his mother hasn't spoken to him all day which she say is 'not like him.'" He sighed. "We may have found our man, but you may have frightened him off."

Harm involuntarily moved his ear away from the receiver as the definitive sound of Peter slamming the phone hurt his ear. "We'll see about that. . ."


	10. Chapter 10

PART 12

Thursday

0600 Zulu

Harm's Apartment

North Of Union Station

"Harm? Mac?" Mattie said, pounding on the door to Harm's apartment. He normally was up at that time, leaving the door open for her to help herself to breakfast while he finished getting ready for work. She'd been standing outside for nearly five minutes before a sleep deprived Mac opened the door. "Hey, Mac . . . what's up?"

"Has Harm called you?" She said, ignoring the formalities of a salutation. Mac was trying to deal with her feelings to kill Harm with her intuition that some thing was wrong.

Mattie shook her head. "No. . .Why?"

Mac sighed and turned into the apartment, heading for the coffee pot. "He didn't come home last night."

Jen, who caught the tail end of the conversation appeared at the doorway, looking Mac up and down. "Ma'am?"

"Has he called you, Jen?" Mac said, offering her a mug of java. It had been her third mug since she woke up at 4 am with no Harm in sight nor any indication that he had made it home the night before. He couldn't be mad at her could he?

Jen shook her head and took the mug. "No, ma'am. . .but, the Admiral gave him a work load the size of Everest. . . He probably stayed over night." That's Jen, always trying to find something lighthearted about the situation.

"Yea, that is probably it." Mac said in a shaky voice, closing her eyes as she willed her heart to slow down. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. A vision. Two men struggling. The shorter of the two hitting the taller one over the head with a baseball bat, bringing him down to the ground. Before he blacked out the man looked up, "Sarah. . ."

"Mac?" Mattie said, running over to Mac who had fallen to the floor. Between her and Jen, they helped her sit up and watched as she came to. "Mac? What happened."

"He's in trouble." She said, sitting up quickly, holding onto the counters as a wave of vertigo cut her forward momentum. "Phone. . . get the phone."

Mattie ran across the room as Jen helped stand Mac up. Mac took the phone eagerly and called DC Police, asking for either Peter or Liz. "Detective Kain, something is wrong."

Peter immediately put Liz on a second line. "What happened, Ms. MacKenzie?"

"It's Harm. . ." She said, trailing off a moment as she felt another wave of vertigo. "He didn't come home last night."

"Calm down, just calm down." Peter said, hoping that Mac had some information. Too many times, he'd had to deal with the hysterics of girlfriends, husband, wives, family members. After all that had occurred yesterday, he wasn't in the mood for it. "It's not in the profile for the Slugger to go after males."

Mac sighed and slid to the ground, clutching the telephone. "I know, but Harm went over to New York and Co yesterday. . ."

Peter sighed, "Yes, Ms. MacKenzie, we know what happened."

"Damnit, what if he went after Harm? What if he is the Slugger?"

"I'd say that is highly unlikely, it doesn't fit the profile." Liz chimed in, knowing too well her partner was headed for a breakdown.

Mac slammed her fist against the cabinet against her. "Fuck the profile! I know something is wrong. . . Harm is in danger."

"Ms. MacKenzie. . ." Liz tried, but was cut off immediately.

Mac, finally finding her strength, stood up, rummaged through Harm's drawers trying to find a pen and paper. "I want that guys information. . . Number, address. . .Hell, I want his damned high school report card if it helps the investigation!"

Peter spoke up. "We can't give you that information, ma'am."

"If I give you the number, what are you going to do Colonel?" Liz said, ignoring the murderous glare from Peter.

"Don't worry about it… Look you either give me the number or I'll call one of my co-workers to get it for me… any way I am getting that info." She was already mentally dialing Bud's number. If there was anyone who could find just about anything, it was surely Bud.

Liz interjected. "We're sorry, Colonel. . ."

"Hello? Hello!" Mac yelled into the receiver and resisted the urge to chuck the phone across the room. She stood, and looked at Mattie and Jen who were standing near by, both with horrified expressions on their faces. "Jen, grab Harm's keys, we'll get Mattie to school and we'll head into HQ. . . Grab my cell phone, call Bud, tell him to head in as soon as possible, that the commander might be in danger."

Jen nodded. "Aye, ma'am."

0725 Zulu

JAG Headquarters

Falls Church, Virginia

"What's going on Colonel?" AJ said, secretly thanking Mac for getting him out of an early morning meeting with the SECNAV.

"It's Commander Rabb, sir. . .He is in danger." She said, standing at attention before his desk.

"At ease." AJ said, and looked her up and down, he could tell she hadn't slept. "How do you know this?"

Mac hesitated at first and then slowly let out a breath. "A vision, sir. . . and I believe the man he confronted yesterday to be the same who attacked me and possibly has him held somewhere. DC police is not cooperating with me and I requested for Lt. Roberts to try and help out."

AJ looked at her. No wonder she and Rabb got on so well, they were both two of the most stubborn people he had ever met. "I know I won't be able to stop you. . .so I won't even try. . . Have Roberts find the information, if he hits a dead end, let me know. . . I'll handle DC police."

"Thank you, sir." Mac said and had it been another circumstance, she would have skipped out of his office.

AJ, cut her off before she retreated out of the office. "Mac, be careful and if anything gets too sketchy, I want in."

"Aye, sir." Mac said, coming to attention and executing a perfect about face before heading off to get information from Bud.

1130 Local

Lucas LaRosa's House

Virginia

His mouth was dry, so damned dry. His head felt like it weighed 10,000 lbs. His body felt like he'd been run over by the F-14 he loved so much. His eyes,were heavy and hard to open. When he did, Harm found his vision was hazy and unable to focus. Slowly, his senses started coming to. The tight pain on his shoulders, wrists and ankles, told him that he was tied up to a chair. His ears, after they cleared of tinnitus, caught on to the sounds of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata."

"Commander Harmon Rabb, jr. . . hello there." A voice said from behind Harm. He tried to turn around and look, but the figure was just out of is vantage point. And then, the figure came around and approached Harm slowly, cautiously.

Harm glared at the man and his eyes finally brought him to focus. "Luke."

Luke grinned at Harm and wiped, what appeared to be blood, on a dark blue apron he was wearing. "Hope that little jolt on the head didn't cause any permanent damage." He said, bending over to look into Harm's eyes. "Nah, no concussion there. . . So how are you feeling?"

"Let me go and we'll see." Harm said back in a low, menacing tone.

Luke shook his head and smiled. "Let's not and say we did. . .I hope you like Classical music, it's my favorite."

"How lovely." Harm said with a smile of his own. He glanced down at the apron and then back up at Luke. "Who's blood is that?"

Luke laughed. "Blood? What kind of a monster do you take me for?" He moved passed Harm and brought an easel before him. "No, it's red paint from something I've been working on. . . something that you can have as a keepsake once I am done with you." Uncovering the painting, Harm turned away as a painting of Mac, her body naked and bloodied was uncovered.

Luke seeing Harm's disgust in the picture just smiled and moved it to the side, leaving it as a reminder to Harm of what his intentions were.

"What are you going to do with me?" Harm asked through gritted teeth, his peripheral vision tempted to look at the picture again, but he couldn't give Luke the satisfaction.

Luke shrugged, picked up his palette and resumed adding the finishing touches to his masterpiece. "With you, nothing. . ." When all was silent, except for the rhythmic noise of the music, he turned around and looked at Harm. "You want to know why? I take it?" Smiling, he leaned against the small table just to the right of Harm and brought up a finger to his chin, thinking things over. "The specimens for my artwork need to be real and true. . . I tried knives a long time ago, but they were too precise, too neat." Grinning, he picked up his things and went back to the painting. "Now a baseball bat. . . well, that is different." He pushed the brush down into the paint, mixing them together, making a crimson concoction. "It's an extension of me. . .I can either leave them bruised, or with a few whacks more, break bones." He stuck his tongue out in concentration as he made one small line followed by a few angrier ones. "Take it up a notch further and from certain spots of the body, that nice red substance called blood can gush out. . .and then, when the bat breaks, I stop." He turned, smiled at Harm and winked, speaking in a lighthearted tone. "Don't want them to get splinters. . . I hate those!"

Harm watched as he meticulously went over an area in an angry red stroke. "How did you pick her?" The darkest part of "Moonlight Sonata" kept playing over and over again, almost turning Luke's gruesome escapade into some sort of a macabre production.

"She picked me. . ." Luke said, with his back still turned to Harm. "She waltzed into the store, and was there for an hour or so, trying on a bunch of hot little numbers. . . My favorite was this black dress. It showed off every curve on her body from her ass to her tits. . ." Turning around he moved his head upwards almost as if an invisible woman were there, teasing him. Then, his eyes opened and he glanced at Harm. "When she walked up to me, dressed in those Marine Greens, happy look on her face. . .I knew I had to have her."

Harm snorted. "And instead, she kicked your ass. . . How funny."

The punch that Luke gave Harm was almost as hard as the edge of his words. "SHUT UP. . ." Bending over, he picked up his brush and moved calmly back to the easel. "You know, she'll be down here soon and you'll get to watch. . ."

Harm ignored that comment and proceeded to try and find out his sick game. "So you beat them, then rape them?. . .Kinda boring don't you think? Others were more original."

After making another red stroke with his brush, Luke stopped and turned to Harm. "You make it sound so cruel. . . No, first I subdue them, then we make love and then. . . I set them free." Moving his arms to the side, he began fluttering his arms as if he were flying.

The picture, Harm noticed had many more angry red lines, Mac was nearly distorted. He felt sick, nauseated. "With a Louisville Slugger. . . quite the charmer you are."

Luke shrugged. "It's messy, but a woman's face is not quite as beautiful until she is in pain." Walking over to Harm, he grinned away, recalling a night when he stood, just beyond the louvered windows, watching them consummate a nine year long relationship. "You are a lucky man. . ." Slowly, almost as if trying to play the seducer he spoke. "I was there a few nights ago. . . you fucked her, nice and good. . .And she cried. . . boo hoo." Studying Harm's increasingly angry expression, he added. "What was she like?"

"Fuck you!" Harm said, spitting on the guys face. "If you lay a hand on her, you son of a bitch I'll. . ." He tried to say something more, but, Luke thought otherwise.

Grabbing duct tape, Luke ripped a piece and placed it over Harm's mouth. "There, better. . . I might just change my position of hurting you now. . . A few swings to the base of the skull should do." With a long and dramatic sigh, he turned and went back to the painting again. "You know, I've been watching the two of you. . . ever since that night I attacked you at her apartment. . . Watching and waiting for a chance to get her alone. . .but she was usually with you. . ." Reaching into his pockets, he took out Mac's license and keys and placed them on the table. "Poor Sarah, she lost her things, and I was going to return them to her. . . but then I find you there. . . taking her things. . . I just had to hit you." He laughed as he brought to mind the surprise he gave Harm, not enough to kill, but enough to hurt him.

Luke, finishing his art project, put down the brush and palette and then turned to pick up the bat. "Ho Ho Ho! The big bad Commander is scared. . . well dontcha worry. . . I am not going to kill you, it isn't my style. . . but you are going to watch what I do to her." With one hand he held the neck of the bat, the other hand moved up and down as he rolled his eyes, faking an orgasm. "Mmm . . . Hmm. . . Now you stay here and be a good Commander. I'll be back later."

He turned, and moved out of the room, locking the door as he headed upstairs to get ready for work. Harm sat there, trying as hard as he could to get out of his restraints, only to wind up with bloody wrists, eventually, exhaustion won over and he sat there, the time ticking away. He wished he had Mac's internal clock to at least figure out what time it was. Not that it mattered, it's not like he was going anywhere. So he sat there, listening to the 30th replay of "Moonlight Sonata" and waiting for whatever Luke the psycho had up his sleeve.


	11. Chapter 11

PART 13

1340 Local

Lukas LaRosa's House

Virginia

Mac, Sturgis and AJ sat outside in AJ's SUV. They watched as Lukas LaRosa, watered his lawn, cleaned his car and finally, left for work. Mac was tempted, so tempted to run across the street, pummel the guy to the ground and search for that one piece of evidence that she knew would link him to her; the tattoo. But, she sat in the front seat, next to AJ, calmly looking out. Silently watching and waiting for him to leave. In her lap sat Luke's information that she got from New York and Co complete with his full name, birth date, social security and address.

They were on their own, according to DC police, who, since Harm's car was also missing, decided that maybe he had taken a joyride and forgotten to tell someone. AJ argued that point. People on active duty in the military, do not just simply walk away. Charges would be brought up if they were caught and punishment could sometimes be severe. Harm had a life; a job he loved, a girl he swore to care for and a woman he would die to protect. Something was amiss.

Though it was normally cool in DC around spring time, the hell hole that Harm was locked in was stifling. His work shirt clung to him like a second skin. Harm was pissed off and not of the situation, but, because, in his attempt to keep Mac safe, had probably given her straight to Luke. He'd gotten nabbed outside of JAG ops as he was making his way to the Vette at around 2am. Simply put, he was too tired to notice anything wrong. All he could think of was getting home to Mac and the few hours of sleep he would have to live on to face the next day. He opened his car, tossed his things in and as he was about to get in, boom, everything went dark.

Harm's head was still pounding from the blow Luke had given him at JAG ops. The sound of "Moonlight Sonata" echoing over and over again was not helping his situation, only aggravating it more. He tried again to get lose and just when he was about to give up, one of the ropes gave way. His wrists were now a mess, blood was seeping through his shirt from the burn marks, but he didn't care. Finally able to get one hand loose, Harm started working on the rest of the knots. Before long he was free, but not quite. Walking over to the door, he found it locked from the outside. Angrily, he walked over to the radio and punched it hard, sending Beethoven into oblivion. He looked around the space, there as nothing, nothing at all except the easel, chair and two tables, one of which the radio sat atop of. He banged on the door and yelled as loud as he could. He was trapped.

"Okay, coast is clear." AJ said, looking over at Mac who nodded. Jumping out of the car with Sturgis, the two of them made their way across the street and were soon joined by Luke, who had returned back home.

Luke watched the three officers try to peak into his home. "May I help you?"

AJ looked at him and smiled. "Hello, we are looking for Lukas LaRosa."

"And you are?" Luke said, trying not to make too much eye contact with Mac.

"Admiral AJ Chegwidden, Commander Turner and Colonel MacKenzie, Judge Advocate General Corps." AJ said, introducing everyone. "One of my Commanders assaulted you yesterday, we wanted to talk to you about it, so that we can bring up formal charges."

Luke sighed, and decided to let them inside so that things would not be to conspicuous. "I really can't take too long, but please have a seat." He pointed at a sofa, which Sturgis, AJ and Mac sat uncomfortably. They all stared at Lukas who sat on a chair opposite them, waiting for whatever they had to say.

It was AJ that began. "We won't take up too much of your time Mr. LaRosa, just tell us what happened."

As Luke told his account of Harm's attack on him, Mac watched him intently, noticing that he made no eye contact with her whatsoever, but, that he did with AJ and Sturgis. Something was up and she knew it. Sighing softly, she glanced around the house, knowing that there was something in there for her to find, but not knowing where to look. Harm. The name came to her the moment she looked towards the hallway that led to the kitchen. "May I use your rest room?" She interrupted Luke who seemed to blanch at her request. Mac looked directly at him.

Luke smiled, hesitantly meeting Mac's stare for the first time since they'd walked into his home. "Yes, Colonel. . . just head down that hall way, last door to the right, just before you get to the kitchen."

Mac excused herself and made it down the hall. She walked into the bedroom and turned the faucet on. Once she was sure the conversation was carrying on, she sneaked out of the bathroom and walked into the kitchen, pleased to find a spiral staircase that headed to the upstairs. She took it and looked around, finding nothing that would indicate Luke was the attacker. With a frown, Mac headed down the kitchen steps and past the door that led down a set of stairs to the basement.

Harm banged on the door again, yelling at the top of his lungs. His head hurt even more and he was dizzy, so dizzy. Exhaustion was taking him over and he noticed that door was sealed airtight and there was nothing around to let in any type of oxygen. Grabbing the chair he was bound to, Harm hurled it at the door, causing it to slam to the ground with a loud crashing noise. But the door didn't budge and he figured the room was completely sealed. Sliding down the side of the wall, he sat down, bringing his knees to his chest. He'd thought about Luke, and the murders that he had committed on the outside. But he knew, from conversations with Commander Manetti and books that he had read on profiling that, psychos like Luke, would eventually get bored. Sometimes, their crimes would be even more heinous than the first set he would commit. What other reason would he have to make, what Harm believed to be a sound proof room.

As Mac passed the door that lead to the basement, she heard a faint sound coming from within. She stopped, tried the knob, but found the door locked. Sighing, she headed back to the bathroom, doused some water on her face and headed out. "Sorry I took so long."

AJ nodded and stood.

"Thank you for your time, Mr. LaRosa." Sturgis said, shaking Luke's hand. "We'll be in touch."

Luke, noticing that Mac had left her cover on the sofa, took it. "Colonel." He waited for her to turn around and look him in the eyes, before giving her the cap. "You left this." His hand brushed hers and he noticed Mac tremble slightly. He wondered if she knew and even if she did, it wouldn't matter. He had plans for her, somehow he would find a way to bring her back here and have Harm watch. If he was still alive that is. Luke had forgotten to turn on the A/C to Harm's cell.

"T-T-Thanks." Mac stammered, nearly tugging the cap away from Luke and heading out with AJ and Sturgis. She wanted to run across the street, jump in AJ's car and just cry. But, she didn't. Stoically, she walked across the street and hoped in the car only when AJ opened it up. Once they were away from the house, she broke down. "It's him. . I know it is."

PART 14

1500 Local

Police Station

Washington, DC

"Damnit, it's him." Mac said, slamming her fist into Detective Peter Kain's desk. Since their little talk with Luke, she had convinced the Admiral to head over to DC police. So he called in, cleared the three of them for the day and headed off. For safe measure, he asked Bud to take Mattie out of school and keep her at JAG ops with him and Harriet.

'And I thought the Commander was bad.' Peter thought as he glared at Mac. "Colonel, I don't know what the hell you guys do at JAG, but we handle things here with a bit more calm."

"Calm? While women are getting beaten to death? While my partner is probably dead!" She yelled at Peter and was about to slug him, when Detective Liz VanEdee made her way to her partner.

"Pete!" She said, giving him a paper. "We found Commander Rabb's Vette, it was ditched near the same place where the Colonel was attacked."

"That doesn't make sense!" Peter yelled.

Mac shook her head. "Who cares! Look, screw your profiling!" Softening a bit, she touched Peter's arm and pleaded. "Please. . . I have a feeling Harm is in that house. . . Please." If she had to, Mac wasn't below getting down on her knees and really begging.

Peter glanced at Mac and then at Liz who was giving Mac a sympathetic look. "Liz, get forensics to run prints off of the Commander's car, get Judge Green on the horn, tell him we need a warrant and ASAP."

Mac breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

Peter half smiled. "I am going to go pay Mr. LaRosa a little visit, care to tag along?"

1610 Local

New York and Co Store

Washington, DC

Mac and Peter sat in his unmarked car, parked across the street from the store. Things looked normal. Liz still hadn't been able to get in touch with the Judge and was trying to find an alternate way to get a warrant, but was coming up short. Mac sighed, for the hundredth time that day, and looked out, waiting for something to happen, praying for Harm to be safe.

"So how long have you and your Commander been involved?" Peter asked, smiling at Mac who registered a complete look of shock. Before she had a chance to deny anything, he continued. "It's obvious you two have a bit more than a working relationship."

Mac sighed, she'd been caught and there was really no reason to hide much from the Detective. "This January it made nine years since we've known each other." She said with a half smile, bringing to mind the awkwardness of their first meeting. "We. . W-we recently got involved."

Peter nodded. "You know, Liz and I have been partnered up for about four years. . . I like her, but not just as a friend." Sighing, he looked out of his window and then drew his attention back to Mac. "It's hard, you know. . . I have to sit and watch and smile and pretend I don't care. . .when she goes out with other guys."

Mac wondered how many other working partners their were with feelings that were chosen to kept hidden and never meet the light of day. How many people just drifted day to day never knowing what it was like to finally put an end to the dance. She was lucky, very lucky. "Harm and I still haven't had a real chance to explore our. . . relationship." She smiled a far away smile and then turned to face Peter completely. "Do yourself a favor, make a move. . .a smart move." Sighing, she added. "Harm and I have done so much damage to ourselves that we almost didn't have a friendship left. . .It was my fault and it was his fault. . .we barely made it out intact. Detective, if you care for her or if you love her, don't sit on the sidelines. . . make a move. . .before it's too late." She noticed the catch in her voice, but she didn't care. How ironic that the person keeping her safe was probably in danger.

1614 Local

Lukas LaRosa's House

Virginia

"Please don't let him hurt her. . ." Harm said, leaning against the wall. He was breathing in short intervals. His lungs were aching to take a nice deep breath of fresh air. Sweat was now dripping off of him as if he'd been splashed with a bucket of water. He only found relief in the cool floor below him that would turn warm after a few minutes of his touch. It was like being buried alive. Harm never thought himself to be claustrophobic, but now, it was much different. His head was still pounding and an aching feeling was felt from every fiber of his body. "God, please. . . trade me for her. . . don't let him hurt her. . . please." He begged to the invisible force that seemed to fail him over and over.

Sighing, Harm closed his eyes and laid down on the floor. His hands were bruised from hitting the door, one fist broken and bloodied from punching the radio. His spirit which was usually full of life, was non-existent. His brain was telling his body to shut down and go to sleep. Harm complied.

1940 Local

New York and Co Store

Washington, DC

Mac yawned. She was exhausted, so exhausted that she could barely keep her eyes opened. The more she thought about Harm, the more tired she felt. He was at Luke's home and she knew that. "There he is." She said, sitting up straight as she and Peter watched Luke walked outside and lit a cigarette.

Luke took a puff and his eyes came on Mac and Peter. "Shit!" He said, tossing the cigarette to the side and quickly enter the store. Two minutes later, he walked back out, got into his car and drove off. As Mac and Peter were about to follow him, a call came in over the radio that the warrant was finally issued and that Peter needed to get down there before the Feds wanted in on the case.

When they arrived to Luke's house, several squad cars were lined up outside, and Liz was waiting for Peter. They walked in with Mac following close behind. Moving past them, she lead the way to the door in the kitchen. "Here."

Peter gave her an incredulous look and shook his head. "You think your partner is in there?"

Mac shook her head. "No, detective, I know he is." She gave him a pleading look and Peter brought in the two men who went to work on the door.

"The rest of you, search the house. . . anything that you find, tag and bag." He yelled and got the standard reply of "Yes boss!"

After a few minutes, the two working on the door, had it open, Mac tried to head in first, but Peter got in the way, bringing his gun up as he made it downward. Once they arrived at the bottom, Mac found a light and flicked it on. Everything, was very much the same as in many other homes with basements. Washer, dryer, cleaning supplies. There was another door and Mac walked to that one. She didn't have to say anything, as Peter already had the men working on opening it. That one was much more difficult to work on, but, soon it was open.

Peter walked in with Mac close behind. The walls were black. Not too far away was a metal chair leaning on its side. A metal table sat at one end of the room and an easel with a painting that neither of them could really get a good look at. On the floor, lay an unconscious Harmon Rabb Jr.


	12. Chapter 12

This was written about 14 years ago or so... maybe less. Not impressed with my writing back then but, jeez do I have a nutty knack for stories. LOL!

It's complete, enjoy or not... ;)  
I'll see what other oldies I have in my harddrive.

PART 15

0120 Local

Bethesda Naval Hospital

Bethesda, Maryland

Mac sat next to Harm, holding his good hand as he slept. His other hand, had been bandaged. She thanked every angel and saint in the sky for having Harm back safe. According to the doctor, he would make a full recovery in no time. He was found in a heap on the floor, sweating and barely breathing, the heat from the small room enough to disable even the strongest of men. Along with Harm, the team found a painting of a woman that looked very much like Mac. She appeared to be naked with angry red smears and lines over her appearance. The artist Lukas LaRosa had even managed to sign it. Several things found in the home were taken by the police's search including the painting and about five 8hr tapes of Luke's self-made, porno collection. Hours later, he was formally charged with kidnapping, but, to Mac's dismay, none of the evidence pointed to Luke's direct involvement in her attack or the murders. "You need him. . . You need to find him." She yelled at Peter and pointed at her forearm. "He had a tattoo." Things were practically back to the beginning, except that now Luke had claimed another victim.

Mac sighed and looked at Harm who had finally started to wake up.

"Sarah." He said adding a soft smile, slowly he sat up and pulled at her, so that she could come closer to him. Once she did, he wrapped both of his arms around him and sighed. "You're okay."

Mac nodded against his chest, her tears wetting the hospital gown. "So are you."

"It's LaRosa." Harm said, sighing, he continued. "He confessed to watching us Mac. . . you can't go to my place. . And Mattie, and Jen. . ."

"All taken care of. . . they are staying with Bud and Harriet. . ." She said, and sat back down on the seat. "We were watching him yesterday and then we got the call about the search warrant."

Harm frowned. "He's still out there."

Nodding, Mac sat at the edge of the seat, her elbows on her knees. "I am going with Detective Kain in a few hours to go back into LaRosa's home."

Harm shook his head. "No. . .no you are not, Mac."

Mac stood and paced the room. "I have to end this. . ." Right as if on cue, Peter entered the room and looked between the two.

"Colonel. . . we're leaving now." He said, and then looked at Harm. "She'll be safe, don't you worry."

Harm tried to jump out of the bed but his head started spinning. "Mac. . ." He said, and when she turned around added. "Be careful." He watched as she nodded and headed out with the detective.

0210 Local

Lukas LaRosa's House

Virginia

Mac and Peter sat, yet again in an unmarked car, just watching Luke's home. "You think he's stupid enough to come back?" She asked, looking down one of the streets with binoculars.

Peter shrugged. "He left in a hurry. . . we've sometimes caught one of these creeps sneaking in, in the middle of the night just to make a sandwich."

Mac chuckled and shook her head. "This has been a tough case, hasn't it?"

Peter nodded slowly. "The guy is very clean at the scenes. Doesn't leave semen, hair samples, anything. . .and the sick part is that he does them outside and not in some room somewhere."

"But he was probably planning on it. . . look a the room Harm was found in."

He looked at her and frowned. "Luke might not be the attacker, Colonel. . ."

"How can that be?" At Peter's shrug, she asked. "So then, if he isn't, who is?"

Peter sighed, grabbed a flashlight and opened the car door. "What say you and I have a looksy in the house."

Mac, grabbed her own flashlight and followed. "I'd say that is a good idea." She followed him closely, holding her service weapon as they walked to the house and around the back. The door, was surprisingly left open. Mac and Peter made their way to the kitchen and downward to the basement and into Luke's room. Once there, Peter put his gun away and watched as Mac made her way around the room.

She thought about Harm in there, of what he saw, of the things Luke told him and was horrified. Walking to the radio, she saw the front of it smashed and imagined that is how he injured his hand. Walking to the easel she remembered the painting that was there, one that looked so much like her. So wrapped up in thought was she, that she didn't notice Peter watching.

"Trying to imagine what the Commander went through I suppose?" He asked, leaning against one of the walls.

Mac looked at him and found his expression to be strange, primal. "There is nothing here, we better go." She tried to make her way to the door, but Peter blocked her. For some strange reason, she remembered the night of her attack and how the attacker did a similar thing. "Something I can help you with detective?"

Peter nodded and without warning, lunged forward, trapping Mac between him and the table. Moving his hand upward, he grabbed one of her breasts as his mouth found hers and forcibly kissed her. Mac pushed him off of her as hard as she could and moved away from the chair. "Colonel. . . don't fight it." His voice had changed and so had his appearance, Mac noted. He looked malevolent, hard edged and his eyes were undressing her.

Before she had a chance to head for the door, Peter closed and locked it with a key. Slowly, he walked across the room to a corner and shined the light on a dead Lukas LaRosa. Mac gasped at the sight of the man's body who had been severely beaten, his lifeless eyes registered the fear that took him over as he was silenced for the rest of his live.

Peter propped himself up on the metal table and smiled at Mac, as he held a baseball bat in his hand. He swung the bat around with the same precision of a military firing squad.

"It was you." Mac finally said, moving back a few paces more until her back hit the wall. She was trapped.

Peter nodded, and began tapping the bat on his open palm. "Luke . . . was just a stupid kid, with no vision. . .Just a wannabe with a macabre sense of art. . . he would pick the girls and watch as I did the rest." He hopped off the table and began moving his way towards Mac. "You escaped me. . ." Laughing, he watched as Mac moved from one side of the wall to the other, trying to move out of his way. "But you won't escape now. . ."

He laughed again, as the bat hit the wall, causing Mac to jump. Smirking, he made his way around the sound of the bat scraping the walls, giving her goosebumps. "From all the ones he picked, you were the most perfect."

Mac moved backwards, towards the corner where Luke's body rested. "Let me go and I won't turn you in." She said in a light voice, trying not to show how frightened she was.

"Let's not." Peter countered, lunging towards Mac, but missing her as she moved out of his way, causing him to slam into Luke's body.

Mac used that as her moment to try and get things on an even playing field. Under the table, she found a metal chair. Grabbing it, she raised it up, using it as a bat of her own and waited for Peter to turn. Once he did, she connected, hitting his arm that held the bat. Still, it did not incapacitate him. Peter picked the bat up and ran at full force towards Mac who missed when she tried to take a swing at him again. He swung and managed to hit her shoulder. Mac howled in pain and dropped the chair to the floor, only to be pinned to the wall by Peter who slammed her head against it and watched as she slid down the wall and to the ground. Laughing, he took his shirt off and tugged at Mac so that she was laying flat on the floor.

Mac's head was pounding harder than it ever had in her life. Somehow, she willed herself to keep conscious. She watched as his shirt came off. A second later, he was over her, pinning her underneath his legs as he straddled her body. He raised the bat over his head and she saw what she had been looking for, the tattoo of a scorpion. "It's going to be fun playing with you." He spat. The hesitation was just long enough for Mac to raise her knee and hit him on the groin. Peter moved the bat downward, it smashing into a zillion pieces as it missed Mac by an inch.

Mac raised her knee and hit him again, watching as he fell over gripping his crotch. She managed to grab the metal chair and swung once, knocking Peter out. Searching his pants, she took a hold of both of their guns and the keys for the room. She made it out and promptly called DC police. Within the hour, Peter was in custody, his partner, Liz, was in tears over the whole ordeal. Mac sat on the rear bumper of an ambulance, nursing a coffee that she was given. Her wounds were tended to and nothing was broken. It was over.

PART 16

Three Weeks Later

2300 Local

Harm's Apartment

North of Union Station

Peter Kain admitted to the murders only because, after dealing with DC police, he knew the drill. If he would tell them the location of other bodies, he may escape the death penalty. That was highly unlikely.

It took Harm a few days to be released from Bethesda, but as soon as he arrived at work, he was sent TAD to California and Mac stayed behind to help with Mattie. Both Jen and Mattie had helped Mac clean up her apartment and put things back in. The detectives had left the place a complete mess.

As Harm walked into his apartment he knew she was gone. He headed up the steps to his room, took a peak towards his closet and found her things were missing. A trip to the bathroom revealed that her toothbrush, floss, mesh puff and than wonderful smelling purple thing she used to bathe with, were gone. Sighing, he shrugged out of his coat and jacket, tossing them on the bed before he sat down to remove his shoes.

"Commander Rabb, come here." He heard her voice, from the distance and looking past the louvered windows found her in his living room. Candles, that he did not notice once he walked in were now lit. Their light casting an angelic glow around her.

Harm stood, and slowly made his way down the steps. "Is that an order, Colonel?"

"Yes." She said in light tone, watching as he marched over to her and stood at attention. "Good." Mac added, wrapping her hand around his tie and using it to bring him against her. When their bodies were pressed up against each other, she turned her head up and kissed him hard and passionately. "You're home late." She purred into his ear, licking his earlobe before nibbling on it.

"Ah." Harm began, a bit flustered by her movements. "I missed my flight. . . hadda take a another."

Mac moved back and nodded. "I'll forgive you. This once." She said running a finger over his shoulders as she moved slowly around him. "I think you get sexier as the time passes, Commander." Her voice was low, husky. She had plans for him and his lateness was not going to deter her. "Sit down, Commander." She commanded, pointing towards his favorite chair. He hadn't noticed, until now, that his living room had been rearranged. His favorite chair had been brought forward. He watched, curiously wondering what Mac was up to as she disappeared in the darkness of his apartment and returned a few minutes later, turning on a few more candles. "You look scared, Commander."

Harm's throat went dry, very dry at the site of her wearing one of his work shirts. What was it about certain women that made them look even MORE attractive with men's clothing. "Ah. . .W-W-wondering what you are doing."

Mac smiled a nice sultry, mischievous smile. He'd come to love that smile, along with all of the other ones. But THIS one, meant something naughty was up. It was the same smile that she gave him the day he headed to the Henry. With only 40 mins left before he headed towards Andrews, she used THAT smile and with THAT smile and a few kisses, he took her, right there on the kitchen table, bringing everything on it crashing to the floor. He grinned, thinking of the memory, of how free he felt with her. He now realized what that whole "King of the world" phrase was all about, because it's how he felt with her. "Giving you a little show." She said, in an 'you should know that!' voice that made his heart skip more than a few beats. Reaching the breast pocket of his shirt, she pulled out the remote of his stereo. Hitting the buttons, the LED lights came to life and so did this pulse-like bass riff. When the lyrics began, so did Mac, moving slowly, in time with the music, keeping her eyes on him.

Harm sat back, he tried not to look too excited, or too wanting, but failed miserably. He fidgeted, uncomfortable as to what he should be doing, where his hands should be. So, he brought one up to the side of his face and leaned his head against it while his other hand gripped the side of the chair.

Mac moved her hips side to side, her arms moved up and she slowly brushed her hands over her body, barely touching herself. She looked Harm directly in the eyes, rarely breaking that contact, feeling the tension between them. A good tension that made her want to let go. To give him this gift.

His eyes always said so much, and now, in his current state, they told her that he was helplessly mesmerized. Good, that is what she wanted. She wanted him to look and later on she wanted him to play. Mac's fingers found their way to the buttons, which she undid one by one, each time keeping her eyes on Harm who was now licking his lips in anticipation. She held back the need to chuckle and just continued. Turning her back to him, she slid the shirt slowly down her back, revealing partially naked flesh covered only with a black lace panty and bra set.

Harm nearly jumped out of his seat from the moment Mac started moving with the music. "Oh, God." He said low and inaudibly as that perfect body of hers moved in time with the sexy bass riff. And then, the shirt came off of her, in a pool on the floor. He greedily took in the sight of her body, as if he'd never been privy before.

Mac stepped closer to him, bending to the side, showing off her curves. She bit her lower lip and let out a soft moan, causing Harm to jump.

It was good to be doing this, to be free and to have Harm be the one that set her free. She'd heard from enough men that she was attractive, but one thing was to actually feel it herself. Sexy, gorgeous, hot, beautiful, pretty, all adjectives that she enjoyed for a short time with other men. But, she knew Harm and he wasn't the type to use words for no reason, when he said them, she felt it. And she wanted to be Sexy, gorgeous, hot, beautiful, pretty, for him and only for him.

Mac leaned herself back and rested against Harm. Turning her head slightly to the side, she caught the primal look in his eyes. Then he kissed her, hard, passionate, making her little spectacle come to a halt. All she wanted to do was kiss him now, to let him play and touch.

She swayed a bit more, and bent over so he could take in a full view of her rear before she walked, causally to him and straddled his body, causing Harm to groan in frustration. That is when a very frustrated Harmon Rabb, stood up and carried, a giggling Sarah MacKenzie to his bedroom.

Hours later, Harm laid on his side with Mac's body against his own. He kissed her slow and deep, feeling the joy at being able to put an end to their "what ifs." His hand held her firmly against his body. Their breathing and heartbeats unified. Mac felt secure, loved, cherished, needed; all of the things she longed to feel but never quite got from any other man. "Your things are gone." He said out of the blue.

Mac sighed, propping up an elbow so she could rest her head. "Jen and Mattie helped me clean the apartment. DC police left a damned mess." She said, casually.

"I see." Harm said softly, before continuing. "So you are leaving?"

Mac nodded slowly. "Going back to my apartment."

"Back to your apartment." He repeated with a nod and then frowned.

Mac watched him for a minute, her brow creased. "What is it?"

"I thought you and I." Harm began pointing between the two of them. "Well, I thought we were together. . ."

Mac sat up and brought the sheets up with her, covering her body from him. "I thought so too, did something happen when you were away?"

Defensively, Harm sat up as well, glaring at her. "Yea, YOU moved out. . . YOU were going to leave ME."

"Harm. . .I am not leaving you. . ." Mac began, trying to maintain rational while her flyboy was about to go out on a tantrum. "We need to do this right. . . we need to go out, date you know?"

Harm gave her a disbelieving look. After all that happened, all of the eight years that they 'danced' as she said, now she wanted them to date? "Date? . . After all this time you want us to date?"

Mac nodded. "Harm, I know what we are like when we work together. . . another thing is to set work waaaaaaay the hell aside and just. . ."

"And we have to do that from separate apartments?" He interrupted, raising both of his eyebrows.

Mac grinned. "I want to do things right, Harm. . . I've screwed up too many relationships, I can't mess this up. . . not with you, because I won't recover from it."

"I wouldn't either, Mac." He confessed in a low voice, his eyes moving away from hers.

Mac nodded. "Soooo. . . I want to spend time getting to know the things about you I didn't know. . .really becoming part of your life and really working on US. . . on Sarah and Harm."

"I thought we were working on that." Harm added, looking confused.

Mac chuckled. "Great love making does not a relationship make."

At her sentence, Harm also chuckled and nodded. "I ah. . yea, . . I get what you are saying."

Mac moved herself down on the bed, and he did the same, bringing her against him again. "Wow." He said, just before kissing her. At her questioning glare he continued. "Did we actually TALK something through?"

Mac chuckled as she traced his jaw line. "Yea, shocked me too."

Grinning, he leaned forward and took her lips with his, giving her a very nice and long kiss. "So, Sarah, will you have dinner with me on Friday?" Harm asked, looking deeply into the eyes that held his lifeline.

Mac wrapped her arms around him and smiled, "I'd love to."

THE END.


End file.
